Your shingle roof is wearing out, the last hurricane season left you nervous, and you keep noticing metal roofs going up around Central Florida. You’re wondering if steel roofing in Orlando is worth it for your house, or if it’s loud, hot and expensive in ways nobody mentions until it’s on.
Those are the right questions to ask. Metal is a big decision, and the sales pitch you hear depends on who’s selling. You deserve a plain comparison of your options and an honest read on whether steel fits your roof.
APC Roofing installs and repairs steel roofs on homes and light commercial buildings across the greater Orlando area, from Clermont and Kissimmee to Sanford and Altamonte Springs. We’re GAF Certified, licensed in Florida (CCC1337030) and insured, and your inspection is free.
Why steel roofing in Orlando suits so many homes
The Central Florida sun beats on a roof all year, summer storms bring sideways rain almost every afternoon, and hurricane season tests every edge and fastener. A well-installed steel roof handles that mix well. Panels don’t curl or lose granules the way asphalt shingles do, and light-colored or reflective finishes bounce back a lot of the sun’s heat instead of soaking it into the attic.
Steel isn’t the right call for every house. On some homes a quality shingle roof makes more sense for the budget, and some roof shapes with lots of hips, valleys and dormers make metal more complicated. You’ll hear that from us if it applies to yours. For the bigger picture on metal options, see our metal roofing in Orlando page.
The kinds of steel roofs we install around Orlando
Standing seam
Long panels run from ridge to eave with raised seams locked together. The clips that hold the panels down sit hidden under the seams, so no screws go through the face of the roof. That’s the main reason standing seam is the premium choice for homes here: fewer holes, cleaner lines and good wind performance. Our standing seam metal roofing page goes deeper.
Exposed-fastener panels
Corrugated and ribbed panels are screwed straight through the face into the framing, with a rubber washer under each screw head to seal the hole. They cost less to install and show up often on porches, sheds, barns and some homes. The trade-off is upkeep. Those washers harden in years of Florida sun and eventually need replacing.
Stone-coated steel
Steel panels with a stone-chip finish bonded to the surface, shaped to look like shingles, shakes or tile. Homeowners who like the strength of steel but want a more traditional look often land here.
Steel shingles
Individual metal pieces shaped like shingles, installed in courses. They give you a metal roof with a shingle-style pattern on the house.
Steel or aluminum?
Most residential metal roofing is steel with a metallic coating, usually zinc or an aluminum-zinc blend, and a baked-on paint finish over that. That coating is what keeps the steel from rusting, so cut edges and scratches that reach bare metal need to be handled properly during install.
Right on the coast, salt air is hard on steel, and aluminum is often the better choice there. Orlando sits well inland, so coated steel is a common fit for homes in the metro. If your property has unusual exposure, we’ll talk it through at the inspection.
How a steel roof handles Florida wind
Wind does its damage at the edges, corners and ridge, where air can get under a panel and pull up. A steel roof holds up in a storm because of how it’s fastened, not because metal is magic.
Roofing products used in Florida need a Florida Product Approval or a local approval, and that approval spells out how the panels have to be attached: fastener type, spacing and how much closer they go near corners and edges. A good installer follows that schedule exactly, hems the trim so there’s no loose edge for wind to catch, and uses underlayment rated for the heat under metal. A steel roof should go on a solid deck, with any soft wood replaced first.
Heat, noise and other common worries
Is it hotter? Usually the opposite. A light or reflective finish keeps the roof surface cooler than dark shingles in the afternoon sun, and metal sheds its heat quickly once the sun goes down.
Is it loud? On a house with a solid deck, underlayment and an insulated ceiling, rain on steel sounds close to rain on shingles. The drumming people remember comes from metal on open framing, like a barn.
Does it ripple? Wide flat areas on some panels can show a slight waviness called oil canning, especially in low morning light. It’s cosmetic and doesn’t affect how the roof sheds water. Panel choice and careful handling keep it to a minimum.
Repair, re-screw or replace
Many steel roof problems are fixable. Exposed-fastener roofs often just need the old screws replaced with new ones and fresh washers. Loose trim can be re-secured and a single damaged panel swapped out. Full replacement comes up when rust has spread across large areas or the seams have failed in many places. If your steel roof is leaking now, start with our metal roof repair page.
How it works with APC Roofing
- Book your free inspection. Call 407-270-1129 or request a free estimate online.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. You’ll see photos of your current roof, hear which steel options fit it and why, and get a written estimate. Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance.
- Your roof gets done and the site gets cleaned up. Scraps and stray screws get picked up before the crew leaves.
Steel roofing questions from Orlando homeowners
Does a metal roof attract lightning?
No. Metal doesn’t make a strike more likely. If lightning does hit, a metal roof doesn’t burn the way some other materials can.
Can a steel roof go over my existing shingles?
No. We always tear the old roof off down to the deck first, because going over old shingles can hide soft or wet decking. You’ll see what the inspection finds before any metal goes on.
Is standing seam better than exposed-fastener steel?
For a home, standing seam needs less upkeep because there are no exposed screws to reseal. Exposed-fastener panels cost less up front and work well on simpler roofs, porches and outbuildings.
Will a steel roof hold up to a hurricane?
A properly fastened steel roof installed to its Florida approval is built to resist high wind. How well any roof does in a given storm depends on the storm, so we won’t promise more than that.
A roof you can stop worrying about
Putting off a tired roof through another hurricane season keeps the worry going. Small leaks under worn shingles can soak the decking long before you see a stain. Get your options laid out now, and you can head into the next storm with a roof built for Florida weather and a decision you feel good about. Call 407-270-1129 to book your free inspection.
