Durability & Safety

“Unfortunately we’ve had several opportunities lately to see what hurricanes will do,” McLauchlan says. Drexel Metals’ roofs passed the test during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. “We had a whole subdivision where we were replacing roofs because debris from other types of roof systems had blown into ours and damaged them, but they did not blow off.”

Drexel Metals roofs have been proven to endure wind speeds of up to 150 miles per hour. Of course, it’s important to note that not only a strong roof can save a building. “I don’t want to say metal is the only solution to make it last a hurricane. You have to have a good building, too,” McLauchlan says. In addition to high winds and hurricanes, metal roofing stands up to heavy snow, hailstorms, and even wildfires.

Drexel Metals’ roofs also require little to no maintenance and come with a 20-year weathertight warranty. A Gold Standard paint warranty was also added in 2012 and covers the total Drexel Metals system, from the roof deck up, as well as both materials and replacement labor if the installed Drexel Metals painted product ever were to fail.

Drexel Metals is one of few manufacturers who provides both factory and field fabrication of its products. Field fabrication produces a product that’s as good or better than one manufactured in the plant. When panel lengths are larger than 50 feet, you increase your chance of damage during shipping and rooftop staging. Site fabrication eliminates that risk and prevents excess waste, and Drexel can make panels up to 200 feet long onsite. All panels can be cut to exact field conditions and don’t require extensive crating. Site fabrication also allows for precise sizing of rake panels, ensuring a watertight condition. Perhaps most importantly, though, site fabrication eliminates end laps—the number one cause of metal roof leaks.

Snow Retention

Metal roofing sheds snow fast, protecting the roof’s structural integrity. It can also eliminate ice damming at the eaves, so water can’t back up and collect under the roof then leak into the building.

Drexel also uses premium Kynar 500 and Hylar 5000 (PVDF) paint systems so metal panels are coil-coated and oven-cured. “With Kynar paints, it becomes a snow shedding system,” McLauchlan says. Plus, it keeps the roof lightweight. It’s the only finish application method that can be warrantied against color fade for 30 years or more.

Accessories further protect your roof and building. S-5! ColorGard snow retention metal attachment solutions are easy to install on Drexel roofs and warranted for the roof’s life. Unlike other snow guards that yellow and fail over time, ColorGard is strong enough to prevent the dreaded rooftop avalanche while maintaining the roof’s color. ColorGard is designed and engineered on a site-specific basis, so your house or building gets exactly what it needs. Installation is easy, and you don’t have to penetrate the surface.

ColorGard is mechanically attached with S-5! Clamps, which have round-point setscrews that grip the seam securely without damaging the panel’s protective finishes. The clamps are precision-machined from aircraft quality, high tensile aluminum—not cast or plastic. All related hardware is non-ferrous stainless steel for lasting performance. “The big issue in our industry is making sure the attachment doesn’t void the warranty,” McLauchlan says. “The engineering is a huge part—the attachment and how it’s done so it’s not sacrificial to the roof is key.”

If needed, you can also easily implement accessories like the S-5! WindClamp to increase roof system wind uplift performance. The WindClamp can double wind resistance by preventing multiple modes of failure.

Energy Efficiency

Metal is among the most energy-efficient roofing materials out there and can save you up to 40% in air conditioning costs while providing significant insulation in colder months, according to the Metal Roofing Alliance. Drexel Metals roofing helps to reduce trapped heat in the summer and prevents energy loss during winter. A variety of finishes also add up to energy savings, as reflective pigments reduce cooling costs. The Metal Roofing Alliance says even a basic, unpainted metal roof reflects more solar radiation than an asphalt roof, which typically absorbs and holds heat. As for structures in warmer places, pre-painted or granular coated metal roofing systems not only reflect solar energy but cool the building by re-emitting most of what solar radiation is absorbed. A highly reflective and highly emissive painted or granular-coated metal roof can re-emit up to 90% of absorbed solar radiation, according to the alliance. The Passive House Institute gives metal roofing a thumbs up due to both its solar reflectance and thermal emittance, making it ideal for net-zero energy houses.

Drexel’s roofs can also help you achieve LEED points. “Metal roofing can play an important contributing part in achieving requirements for LEED credits,” McLauchlan says, citing points like reflectivity, building reuse, construction waste, material reuse, recycled content, on-site renewable energy, and rain harvesting. For painted products, customers are eligible for a $500 tax credit for making their house energy-efficient.

Attaching solar to a Drexel metal roof is also easy with the S-5-PV Kit Solar Attachment. Adding solar just makes good sense, as a standing seam metal roof has a life expectancy similar to that of PV modules. A 30-year power source on a 40-year roof, along with S-5’s zero-penetration technology, creates the most sustainable roof system available combined with alternative power generation.

Design Flexibility

Beyond color, metal roofing allows for utmost design flexibility. McLauchlan says he often hears from architects that metal roofs allow them to add character to their projects long-term. They say the amount of support they get in designing these buildings is tremendous, too. “One of the architects in Aspen said to me, ‘I have to spec 27,000 items. I want to have an expert to help me so when I have a problem, I know there’s somebody standing there with me.’ They see the benefit and how we can use metal to design specifically to the needs of the project and still have the artistic flair architects love.”

You can do a lot with metal roofs in part because they’re lightweight. On average a metal roof is 50% lighter than an asphalt shingle roof and 75% lighter than concrete tile, fiber cement shakes, and slate. “Asphalt products are typically eight to 10 times heavier per square foot.” That said, metal roofs can still hold serious weight and stand up to the test in a blizzard or even hurricane. Load spans and engineering reports and test certifications can be verified by registered engineers.

From contemporary design to historic reproduction, Drexel Metals has a full line of tooling to produce shapes to precise specifications. An ample selection of prefabricated dentils, finals, and corners also provide easy installation for enhanced visual appeal.

Why Do Contractors Love Metal Roofs?

“It’s their ability to differentiate themselves,” McLauchlan says. “Everybody else walks in and puts on shingles from their truck.” But Drexel Metals is selling a solution rather than a future problem—they offer roofing that’s built to last.

Contractors love metal roofs because they can get panels on demand and don’t have to worry about every last detail. McLauchlan has been in the industry for nearly 30 years, both on the contractor’s and manufacturer’s side, and says the growth spans residential and commercial, including many commercial contractors seeking metal roofing for the first time. “There’s a lot of people who have left traditional roofing, like asphalt, and moved into metal exclusively,” he says. He attributes that in part to the inherent expertise required in metal roofing coupled with not having to fight for the lowest bid. “Metal roofing is more of a craft,” he says.

For more than 30 years, Drexel Metals has been providing not only the highest-quality fabricated metal roofing systems, but also industry-leading support. “Drexel Metals’ model has really been based on technical support for the contractor,” McLauchlan says, adding that contractors, like himself, are “really good at roofing but horrible at the rest of it.” That’s where Drexel’s experts come in—offering unbeatable support on everything from technical questions to sustainability points.