You've got a sturdy and durable roof, and it can last for decades with proper maintenance and inspection. However, there's one thing most Denver CO homeowners can't deal with the material: metal roof popping noise.
Is thunder striking your roof? The wind blowing it off from your home and possibly causing major damage? Or is it because some animals have made their home on your rooftop? True enough, with its density and sound conductivity, metal roofs are huge noisemakers.
However, responsible and highly reputable Denver CO metal roofers know that insulating the material to prevent metal roof popping noise is part of every project. Noisy metal roofs is a common misconception, as JTC Roofing illustrates in the excerpt below.
Metal Roof Popping Noise: A Misconception (But Not a Myth)
The most popular misconception about metal roofing is how they can be extremely loud when it rains. This is a complete myth and in fact, they silence any noise created from the elements such as rain, hail, sleet etc. If insulated correctly with the addition of special sound deadening underlays, they can actually be a lot quieter than other roofs such as an asphalt shingle roof. (Source)
Can homeowners DIY insulation to prevent metal roof popping noise? If you can spare some weekends off, you can insulate your metal roof through your attic. However, you may rarely need to do this since all excellent roofers will insulate your roof post-installation. On the other hand, if you replaced your roof by yourself, then knowing how to insulate your metal roof for noise is an important step.
Callaghan Roofing has an in-depth instruction on efficiently insulating your metal roof to prevent it from making excessive noise during rain and hailstorms. Learn more below.
Metal Roof Popping Noise: Insulating Your Metal Roof
1. Insulate your ceiling
The denser the barrier between your roof and your interior space, the less noise you will hear. One way to cut down on the noise is to install insulation. This is a step that is generally taken retroactively as it is not necessary when a roof is installed with the proper type of roof underlayment.
If you have a noisy roof and want to do something about it, you could always install a layer of insulation. If there is an unfinished room or attic space in your house, consider adding the insulation there. Rigid foam insulation and spray foam insulation are two options that will greatly reduce your noise levels. They both create a physical barrier between the noise and you and absorb most of the noise before it has a chance to fill your home.
2. Fasten your roof
Roof fasteners hold your metal roof in place. If your roof was installed incorrectly, you may have fastener problems. If you do not have enough fasteners, if your fasteners are incorrectly placed, or if some of your fasteners are loose, this can cause your metal roof to react loudly to certain weather.
When rain or hail hits a roof with fastener issues, the roof may move, which causes the impact to be audible from inside the house. In addition, the expansion and contraction that happens during temperature changes can intensify the situation. Replacing or tightening loose fasteners, as well as adding additional fasteners, can help manage the noise. (Continued)
However, many instances of metal roof popping noise isn't because it's raining or birds are perching on the rooftop. The sun might be the one causing it. Metal roof thermal expansion is something every roofer greatly accounts for during installation.
Here is a simple explanation: metal absorbs and conducts heat better than most roofing materials. When it absorbs heat, it expands. Upon losing heat, it contracts. Therefore, the proper loosening or tightening of exposed fasteners and screws is important. Washington Post has a great discussion about metal roof popping noise due to thermal expansion below.
Metal Roof Popping Noises: Resolving Thermal Expansion Noise
I can see from your photo that you’ve got a standard gable roof where at least one end of your home has a flat gable wall that takes the full brunt of the wind. Imagine the pounds of pressure against the entire side wall when a strong wind hits it. The entire roof system, if not solidly braced, can and will flex to absorb this force. This flexing is what’s causing the popping noise.
As for the popping noise in the morning and evening, that’s a different mechanism. It’s thermal expansion and contraction. The sun hits your roof and heats it up. As the lumber expands, it moves, and it will rub against other pieces of wood that aren’t moving at the same rate. This movement creates the popping noise. When the wood cools down after sunset, the same thing happens in reverse.I’ve stopped these noises from happening in homes by adding diagonal bracing to the roof rafters or trusses. It’s best if you can incorporate 2-by-6 material and use large timber screws instead of nails. You want to place at least two four-inch-long timber screws through the 2-by-6 where it passes over the underside of the roof rafter or truss. (Continued)
Remember, you can prevent metal roof popping noise by hiring the best and most experienced metal roofing contractor in your area. In Denver CO, Roper Roofing is the go-to roofing company with decades of experience and knowledge to provide the standard of metal roofing service you need. Contact us today!
