Long Island · Metal vs asphalt
Metal roof vs asphalt shingles
Asphalt costs less today and lasts about 20 years on published averages; an Interlock® aluminum roof costs more today and is built to be the last roof you buy. For a house you'll keep, compare both written prices over the years you'll own it, counting the next asphalt replacement.
Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing, The Interlock Group · Updated October 7, 2026
Asphalt
About 20 years
NAHB / Bank of America study, 2007.
Aluminum
Known to last over 100 years
A property of the metal, not a promise.
Nor'easters
Most frequent September to April
Gale-force winds, rough seas (National Weather Service).
How does a metal roof compare with asphalt shingles?
An asphalt roof costs less today and is replaced, on published averages, about every 20 years; an Interlock® aluminum roof costs more today and is built to be the last roof you buy.
| Asphalt shingles | Interlock® aluminum roof | |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy | About 20 years (NAHB / Bank of America, 2007) | Aluminum has been known to last over 100 years; a property of the metal, not a promise |
| Material warranty | Varies by brand and line; read who the warrantor is | Guardian Lifetime Limited Material Warranty: material and finish, original homeowner, transferable once |
| Wind | Tabs can lift and blow off in nor'easters and tropical storms | Panels lock on four sides; wind warranted to 120 mph when installed to manufacturer specification |
| Freeze–thaw | Water in the mat freezes and thaws; granules loosen and shingles curl and crack as they age | Absorbs no water; nothing for freeze–thaw to open up |
| Snow | Holds snow | Sheds snow; snow guards planned where slides would land |
| Salt air | Granules and tabs weather on exposed shoreline roofs | Aluminum has no steel to rust |
| Weight | Heavier per square foot than aluminum | About 0.41 to 0.59 lb per square foot installed, by profile (ICC-ES ESR-1790) |
| Up-front price | Lower | Higher |
Asphalt life expectancy: National Association of Home Builders and Bank of America Home Equity, Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, February 2007 (a U.S. study; local weather, design, material quality and maintenance all move it).
Is a metal roof worth it on Long Island?
The honest answer depends on how long you'll own the house. An asphalt roof costs less today and will be torn off and replaced, likely more than once, while you live there. An Interlock® aluminum roof costs more today and is built to be the last roof you buy.
The way to decide is with real numbers for your house: get a written asphalt price and the certified Interlock installer's written proposal, then compare them over the years you expect to stay, counting the next asphalt tear-off and replacement.
When is asphalt the better choice?
- You plan to sell within a few years and the buyer won't pay for the roof.
- The roof's slope is below 3/12 (every Interlock profile needs at least 3/12).
- The budget today simply doesn't allow it, and the current roof can't wait.
Replacing asphalt now: what happens to the old roof?
A single layer of asphalt can be roofed over only after inspection, where the deck is sound and local code permits; otherwise it comes off first. The assigned installer inspects the roof and the building department has the final say.
Ice dams are a separate question from the roof covering: they come from heat loss and ventilation, and ice damming is a stated exclusion of the material warranty, so the installer should look at your attic as well as your roof.
Questions, answered
Is a metal roof better than asphalt shingles?
For a house you plan to keep, usually yes: an aluminum roof cannot rust, absorbs no water, locks on four sides and outlasts asphalt, which a 2007 NAHB / Bank of America study put at about 20 years. Asphalt costs less up front.
How long do asphalt shingles last on Long Island?
Published averages put asphalt shingles at about 20 years (NAHB / Bank of America, 2007), and local weather, design, material quality and maintenance all move that. Nor'easters, freeze–thaw, summer sun and salt air near the water work on asphalt every year.
Is a metal roof louder than shingles?
Installed over a solid deck and underlayment, as residential Interlock® roofs are, it is not the drumming of bare metal on an open-framed barn.
Does a metal roof increase home value?
There is no reliable number for that; it depends on your market. What a buyer gets is a roof that should not need replacing and a Guardian Lifetime Limited Material Warranty that transfers once.
Can a metal roof go over asphalt shingles?
Sometimes, only after inspection: a single layer of asphalt can be roofed over where the deck is sound and local code permits. Otherwise it comes off first.
How do I compare the cost of metal and asphalt?
Get both prices in writing and compare them over the years you'll own the home, including the next asphalt replacement. For an Interlock® roof, request a quote here; the certified installer assigned to your project measures the roof and puts the price in a written proposal.
Sources
- National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity: Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components (February 2007)
- Guardian Lifetime Limited Material Warranty (full document, PDF)
- ICC-ES Evaluation Report ESR-1790, Interlock Roofing, reissued September 2025 (PDF)
- Interlock Roofing: aluminum shingles, technical specifications
- National Weather Service: nor'easters (winter weather safety)
- National Hurricane Center: U.S. mainland hurricane strikes by state, 1851–2004
Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Laws, codes and statistics are as published by the source cited. Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, October 7, 2026.
Get a written proposal to compare.
Metal Roofing New York supplies the roof and assigns a certified Interlock installer for your part of Long Island, who visits, measures and gives you a written contract under their own Nassau or Suffolk County license. Nassau and Suffolk counties only.
