# metal roofing



## Babydahl (Jan 24, 2010)

I'm recently had a new home built in costa rica and we installed a metal corrugated roof andI have two questions for anyone with knowledge of metal roofing.

1)  in the mornings when the sun begins to warm the roof, there's a good deal of popping noise almost as if the metal is expanding with the heat.  Similarly at the end of the day it sounds as if the roof materials are contracting.   Is that normal for a metal roof (assuming proper installation)???

2)  in the past two weeks we've also had some severe winds, again creating numerous popping and other sounds, almost as if the roof was lifting and creating a "waffling" sound.    Any ideas??

Thanks.


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## GregC (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome to having a metal roof. Expansion & contraction! This is what you will experience with a metal roof. Everyone thinks it is the way to go these days, but it all depends on where you live, what conditions you have and what the climate is like. Rain, you will hear it, Sun & heat, you will hear it. Sorry to say, but this is part of having a metal roof. Good Luck GregC


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 24, 2010)

Babydahl said:


> we installed a metal corrugated roof
> 
> in the mornings when the sun begins to warm the roof, there's a good deal of popping noise almost as if the metal is expanding with the heat.  Similarly at the end of the day it sounds as if the roof materials are contracting.   Is that normal for a metal roof (assuming proper installation)???



"I have a noisy roof. (popping and creaking) Initially, I thought it was the green metal roof. That roof was attached using screws. I was told that it should be replaced with a standing seam using clamps to allow for movement when the metal expands and contracts. (yes, I fell for the advice.) To my surprise when I had the old metal roof removed the noise still persisted even before the new metal roof was installed." 

From 

Standing Seam Metal Roofing: Materials and Costs

So, it seems the first step is to isolate the noise source.  Since the noise happens predictably I'd use a garden hose with a helper at the other end to localized the noise within an inch or two.

Steel expands about 10^(-5) inches per inch per degree F, so a 10' [120"] roof panel raised 200F by sunlight would be increase to 120.24".  
This is how much movement an expansion joint would have to accommodate.


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