Metal roofs have gained popularity in Florida, especially in coastal areas where they have been proven as highly resistant against various weather elements. However, be in the know that if you’re looking to have metal roofs as primary roofing materials, your roof system must include soundproofing insulations. Otherwise, you’ll have to put up with the loud unnerving pounding sounds of heavy rain, sleet or sometimes hail stones. During a hurricane, metal roofs tend to produce frightening rattling sounds once the high-speed winds start lashing on your home.
Despite the many benefits of metal roofs, sheltering inside a home covered with metal sheets during a storm can be an unpleasant experience. Carrying on with ordinary conversations is difficult as voices can be drowned by the sound of heavy rains tapping on the roof.
Thunderstorms and tropical storms are ordinary fares in Florida, and they can happen at night when you’re supposed to be fast asleep. If there is no sound-proofing system to deaden the amplified thunderous clapping sounds above your head, going back to sleep would be difficult. Since such weather conditions happen almost regularly in Florida, the quality of your and your children’s sleep can be affected. As we all know, poor sleep habit tend to moods and ability to think and perform well.
So if you’re considering metal roofs as roof replacement, or if you’re buying a home with metal roofs, make sure that there’s adequate sound proofing installations before settling in. If you have chosen a home is in the Tampa Bay Area, ask about soundproofing options from reputable roofing companies. Bear in mind that for sound proofing insulations to work effectively as noise barriers, the roof system itself must be properly designed, assembled and installed.
Examples of Sound Proofing Systems for Residential Homes
To give you an idea about the sound proofing options that you can add as noise barriers in your metal-roofed home, bellow is a list of some examples:
Roof Underlayments – Roof underlayments for soundproofing works best for new metal roofs. It’s a proactive solution for reinforcing the integrity of a roof system against moisture penetration and water infiltration. The extra layers of tar or felt paper attached to the metal coverings is also the first line of defense against the noise created by metal roofs.
Attic Insulation – Insulating the attic with high density cotton batting. Since its the space next to your roof, attic insulation is oft recommended. Primarily, they are thermal applications to help maintain the right temperature in your home. They can also act as sound barriers, as the batting placed between wall and ceiling frames can deaden the noise created by metal roofs during natural weather disturbances.
Sound Proofing installations – If zero noise is important to your occupation, attic insulations might no be enough. Sound-proof the walls of your music studio or your bedrooms with decorative acoustic panels. Alspo, make sure the doors and windows are sound-proofed as well. This includes making sure there are no gaps or openings that will let in sound waves coming from the outside.
If you’re still in the process of choosing a roof style or looking at the available houses presented as choices, make sure the style of the roof is appropriate for the kind of weather condition that frequently occurs in the Florida area.
Steep styled roofs are less likely to create loud pounding sounds since rain water will hit the roof deck at an angle. As opposed to flat roof metal roofs that sit flush; having no difference in height that can somehow deflect the loud tapping sounds created by rain falls. However, steep roofs are vulnerable to high winds if the home is located in a hurricane-prone area.