galvanized metal roofing, durability?

[Chas]

Aluminum doesn't rust.

[Durian Fiend]

Aluminum doesn't rust.

I've never seen an aluminum roof.  What's the price comparison? Here's a longevity comparison of metal roof options for Hawaii I found online:

• Galvanized steel is known to have a lifespan of 25-30 years,
  
  
• Aluminum roofing can last up to 50 years.
  
  
• Copper roofs can last for more than 75 years, making it one of the longest-lasting roofing materials.
  
  
  

My steel roof from HPM is currently 30 years old and not in need of replacing.

[Chas]

I don't know the price comparison. It was what my builder used and we really didn't discuss it other than I said I wanted a metal roof.

[terracore]

We scored some free used aluminum roofing. I don't know how old it is, but it looked like it was in really good shape, solid, and I put it on a shed I built. When I was done admiring my work from the outside, I went inside the shed to admire it and that's when I noticed the thousands of almost microscopic pinholes. The only way they're visible is being inside the dark shed with the sun hitting the aluminum roof. There is no other way to know they are there, a bright flashlight wont do it. So while aluminum doesn't rust, something does happen to it that degrades it and causes it to fail in a way that isn't easily visible. The holes don't really leak in the traditional sense, but I imagine the problem will continue to get worse, and it can probably be sealed with the proper paint, but in my case the quickest way to ignore the problem was to put a cheap tarp over it. I'll get around to re-doing the roof "eventually", but if I had a 5 year plan it probably wouldn't make the list right now.

[Rob Tucker]

Galvalume.

[Hotzcatz]

not all galvanized roofing is the same. There's the old style heavy corrugated and galvanized iron roofing that lasted longer than the newer thinner gauge. The old stuff weighs about three times the weight of the new stuff.

The current minimum standard thickness is 26 gauge, anything thinner than that isn't recommended. Generally it's also "pre-painted".

We have a 73 year old aluminum roof that is nearing the end of it's lifespan. It could possibly be repaired and hang in there for another ten years maybe, but it's quite tired and has a few leaks during heavy rain. It will be taken into the recycling center when it's removed and may help offset the cost of new roofing.


If I could, I'd replace it with another aluminum roof, but I don't think they're even available anymore?