Metal Roofing in Summer 2025 vs. Asphalt Shingles

Metal roofing in summer – is this good idea or not? Will the house become hotter in July with a metal roof? Homeowners often consider these concerns while choosing the right roofing material when it comes to roof replacement. Canadian citizens are always looking for ways to keep their homes cool and reduce energy bills. Given that hot summers are now a fact of life in Ontario, Alberta, BC, selecting the roofing material that works best for you is more important than ever before. One commonly recommended roofing type for hot climates is metal roofing. 

And it’s not just the feel-good factor that makes the subject more than skin-deep. With the planet heating up, many homeowners are looking for more sustainable ways to improve the functionality of their homes while also reducing greenhouse gases.  

With a metal roof, not only do you have a building material that cuts down on heating or cooling bills, but it also involves less energy than other types of roofing solutions. And, given the increased wildfire problem, especially in Ontario and British Columbia (this summer’s issue of MNR still counts 1.8 million hectares of fire-consumed land), we need building materials that are less flammable, too.

We’ll look at metal roofs versus asphalt shingles specifically, in terms of how they perform in hot weather conditions. To be thorough, we’ll review temperature, energy use, lifespan, durability, safety from fire, and overall time before new roofing is required or asphalt ends up in the trash. When making decisions, it’s important to understand the investments that will best suit your summer needs, starting with 2025 and lasting from then on.

Metal Roofing in Summer vs. Shingles in Hot Climates

Wilson’s Metal Roofing, Dresden, TN, United States, Tennessee

Temperature Regulation

• Metal Roofs

The roofs in many homes are made up of shiny metal that reflects much of which hits it back out, which in turn helps reduce the amount of sunlight absorbed by the home and keeps it cooler inside on hot summer days. With the capability of reflectance, metal roofing can drastically lower interior temperatures, allowing homes to be more comfortable and eliminating the need to use air-conditioning as frequently.

• Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles, on the other hand, absorb heat and make homes warmer, hence less comfortable in summer. Their owners spend more money on air-conditioning because their houses retain heat.

Energy Efficiency

• Metal Roofing in Summer

Since metal roofs are reflective it reduces the amount of energy that needs to be expended to keep a house cool (when it is hot). The energy savings provided by the metal roofing will reduce your energy bill for air conditioning up to 35%. Some metal roofs also include their own insulation built into the roof.

• Asphalt Shingles in Summer

For example, most houses with asphalt shingle roofs require more energy to keep the inside at a comfortable temperature. Since the roof absorbs more solar heat, this means that our air conditioners have to run more, thus consuming more energy. If you plan to live in the house for decades, those high cooling costs can add up, especially if you experience a heat wave for a few weeks.

Longevity and Durability

Steel Roofs

Metal roofs are known for their longevity as well. They can last even in high temperatures. It is also very useful for hot climates, because it can persist even in harsh weather without getting damaged. Many metal roofing comes with warranties which could last up to 50 years. It can provide sanity over time to the owners of the house.

Asphalt Shingles

Another disadvantage of asphalt shingles is that they last a shorter time than clay in hot weather and tend to crack, warp, and lose granules when exposed to dramatic temperature changes and extreme temperatures for a long period of time. Asphalt roofs often need to be replaced after 10-15 years and cost a lot more to repair and replace compared to other kinds of roofs.

Fire Safety of Metal Roofing in Summer 

Because of this natural fire-resistant characteristic, metal roofs far surpass asphalt shingles with regards to fire safety. Category A fire-resistant is how metal roofs are rated and it is the highest rating available.

The fire-resistant characteristic of Class A rating metals means they can withstand severe exposure to fire ­– making metal roofs a perfect choice for living in areas with a high prevalence of wildfires and other fire hazards.

By contrast, while asphalt shingles, when installed with certain underlayment, receive Class A ratings, they are generally more combustible than metal. Asphalt is derived from petroleum, and manufacturers have made great strides in making asphalt shingles more of a risk than metal. When burning, asphalt shingles can melt, ignite, and spread fire danger to the rest of a structure.

The points below depict metal roofs and asphalt shingles in respect to fire resistance. 

Overview: metal roofing in summer appears superior to asphalt shingles in fire-safety aspects. Take a closer look: 

• Asphalt shingles roofs naturally allow embers from a distance of 15 feet to enter your home. 
• On the contrary, metal roofs take longer to ignite and provide better insulation to hot fire temperatures to remain undamaged. 
• Despite the fact that both types of roof can be ignited by embers, metal roofs only leak hot fire gases to a reasonable amount of 30%. 
• In comparison, wood roofs are likely to catch fire more easily with no chance for protection while asphalt shingles appear to be less safe.

Non-Combustibility: Metal roofs won’t ignite or impart additional fuel load for spreading a fire, while asphalt shingles can melt and catch fire.

Metal roofs consistently achieve Class A fire rating. Asphalt shingles can achieve Class A fire rating, provided a special underlayment is used.

Heat-resistance: A metal roof can withstand high temperatures without damage, while asphalt shingles can be warped by extreme heat, crack, or break down.

Mapping data from NASA of wildfires across Canada

Wildfire-Prone Areas 

Metal Roofing in Summer: How Steel Resists Wildfires

This is a much-needed feature in fire-prone forests, which are now experiencing more frequent wildfires – and metal roofing in summer is naturally fire resistant. Steel, aluminium and copper are all non-combustible materials, which means that they don’t burn or readily feed wildfire. By the way, here is an interactive Forest Fire Info Map of Ontario, where you can control the situation in your area.   

The metal roof’s ability to withstand extremely high temperatures and to not burn makes them a great choice for homeowners to help them prevent their homes from being damaged in a wildfire. It is very comforting to know your roof can withstand such conditions to prevent your house from fire damage, especially in wildfire season.

Case Study

There are also case studies from Alberta and BC that show that metal roofs can protect structures during wildfire events, like in the 2021 wildfire season when many houses in these provinces with metal roofs were spared while their traditional-roofed neighbours were damaged or destroyed. The fact that these things happen in the real world helps to make the case for using fire-resistant material and provides compelling evidence that metal roofing is a good thing. 

To summarize, metal roofing in summer months are more fire-safe than asphalt shingles. So, it’s not a bad idea for a homeowner in forest areas of Ontario or anywhere for that matter, to go in for metal roofing, especially as several regions in these provinces are becoming more susceptible to wildfires.  

Efficient Ventilation in Hot Months

Importance of Ventilation

Proper ventilation is critical to avoid being too hot inside the house, as well as prolonging the life of your roof. In the summer when it is so hot, a good ventilation is even more important. A very good ventilation can help:

1. Minimising Heat Buildup: Through adequate ventilation, the attic and upper floors of a home won’t overheat, allowing for a cooler overall living space. 
2. Better Ventilation: Better ventilation preserves constant, comfortable temperatures throughout the home by eliminating the need (and effort) to operate a cooling system.
3. Prevent Moisture Accumulation: Proper ventilation helps prevent moisture accumulation, which may result in mould growth and structural damage.
4. Good Ventilation Prolongs Roof Life: Roofing materials decomposition is caused by heat and moisture which early ventilation reduces. Therefore, it increases the useful life of your roof.

Metal Roofing in Summer and Ventilation

Metal roofs can, and should be, integrated with good ventilation. Here is how metal roofing in summer months can improve household ventilation.

Steel roofs can improve ventilation in several ways, and here are just a few:

1. Cool Roof Systems: Many metal roofs also serve as part of cool roof systems that include reflective coatings and advanced ventilation systems. Such metal roofing in summer allow for more airflow, decreasing heat absorption and helping to keep the house cooler.
2. Ridge vents and soffit vents: Metal roofing lends itself readily to using ridge vents and soffit vents. Ridge vents run across the ridge of the metal roofing in summer time, letting hot air escape, and soffit vents at the eaves let in cooler air – together, they create an uninterrupted flow of ventilation.
3. Thermal Breaks: Many manufacturers of metal roofing systems incorporate thermal breaks, which are layers of insulation that break up a metal roof’s ability to transmit heat. Reducing this transmission helps maintain a comfortable indoor temperature when you don’t feel the need to overcool.
4. Attic Ventilation: Metal roofing in summer or other period can be installed with attic fans or turbine vents to increase airflow and further decrease accumulation of heat in exteriors.

 Benefits of Metal Roof Ventilation

1. Happier Home: Through better ventilation, metal roofing in summer helps lower the infrared radiation inside homes and cars on hot summer days.
2. Savings in Energy: Trees and shrubs can save energy by providing shade and reducing dependency on air conditioning.
3. Increased roof longevity: Attic ventilation played a vital role in preventing the gradual degradation of roofing materials while increasing the life span of the roof and reducing maintenance costs.
4. Better indoor air quality: Providing good ventilation can improve the home’s indoor air quality by pushing out hot stale air and pulling in fresh air into the home.

Common Concerns Addressed

Does a Metal Roofing in Summer Get Hotter than Asphalt Shingles?

It is false that metal roofing in summer months get hotter than asphalt shingles. The rooftop reflects back the heat away and doesn’t absorb the heat. Then, the conductivity property of the metal roof lets all the excess absorption or heat to escape away. Because of the property of stainless steel/aluminium , their reflective and conductivity characteristic makes metal roof cooler than other roof materials. Also, metal roof helps to keep indoor temperature cooler during the warmest days.

 Will My Metal Roof Warp or Expand in Extreme Heat?

Metal roofing in summer have a high melting point and limited ability to expand at high temperatures. The metals that compose roofs are typically treated to prevent expansion and buckling when exposed to high heat.

Metal roofs should only be installed by professionals, because warping and expansion can occur if the roof is not fitted correctly in hot weather. It is essential that it is professionally installed for long term use.

Will a Metal Roofing in Summer Make My Home Uncomfortably Hot ?

Metal roofing will help in cooling your home, not heating it up. Shiny reflective nature of metal roofs prevents your house from absorbing sunlight and staying hot.

Final Thoughts 

With rising temperatures continuing, the selection of the best roofing material in summer is a customary heavenly solution to have a pleasant and energy saving abode. Metal Roofing in summer period, in this regard the best roofing material, a honest brownie point for this will revolve around its multiple benefits such as energy efficiency, temperature managing, 95% fire safe,  airflow ventilation and durable material

In particular, metal roofs reflect light away, keeping buildings cooler and saving energy in the process; they last much longer than an asphalt shingle roof and withstand high temperatures well; they can be fire-retardant and potentially life-saving where wildfires are a risk.

 Additionally, the metal roofs can be incorporated with modern ventilation systems, which helps in providing air flow and prevents heat accumulation, which makes it more comfortable to live indoors and increases the life expectancy of the roof.

Furthermore, metal spikes misconceptions that metal roofs heat up and warp from summer sun; when professionally put in place, most people report that it stays cool and doesn’t warp or expand from extreme heat.

 After analyzing these metal roofing pros, l think it is clear that metal roofing in summer as in the winter is the best option for most homeowners because it is more sustainable and beneficial in cost.

In Summer of 2025, for people who want to move into a new house and are looking for a nice roof on it, this can be a good choice because they do not only make a sustainable choice with less energy use, they create a safer and more pleasant space for them to spend time.

If you are considering roof renovations, call Professional Metal Roofing at 647 650 1727, your roofing contractor Toronto, for a free estimate and explore the many advantages of the switch to metal roofing. A cool, safer and better-performing roof will make each summer unforgettable.