What Is Galvalume? Florida’s Favorite Metal Roofing Material

For several years, the popularity of metal roofing has continued to grow. But one thing that has surprised many property owners is the sheer variety of choices you have with metal roofs. This has led to a lot of people having questions about Galvalume, one of the best metal roofing materials in Florida.

At John Hogan Roofing, we’ve mastered the ins and outs of metal roofing over our 30 years of local roofing services. That’s why we’re ready to answer all of your questions about Galvalume, from performance to cost and everything in between. Keep reading to learn all about what property owners in Florida need to know about Galvalume!

What Is Galvalume?

Galvalume is a relatively recent addition to the roofing market, having been first released in the 1970s. This revolutionary new roofing technology is manufactured using a combination of steel, aluminum, and zinc. This allows Galvalume to offer the strengths of each metal in its composition without the weak spots of using only one or two of these materials.

Before Galvalume entered the market, galvanized steel was the most popular roofing material in America. However, galvanized steel proved to be vulnerable to corrosion over time, which made it difficult to use in areas like Florida which have high humidity and large bodies of saltwater.

Because of Galvalume’s unique makeup of materials, it actively resists corrosion throughout its life. By combining three of the most highly sought-after materials in metal roofing, Galvalume can provide the traditional strength of a steel roof without its vulnerabilities.

This covers what galvalume is, but let’s talk more about what you need to know about its performance.

How Does Galvalume Steel Perform in Florida?

When you’re choosing a roofing material for your home or commercial property, it helps to get advice from local roofers. Because even if a roof performs well in 80% of the nation, that same roof could be completely unsuitable for your local weather patterns. And in hurricane-Florida, our local weather is pretty unique.

With that in mind, let’s talk about how well-suited Galvalume is for Florida’s climate.

Unbeatable Rust Resistance

As we’ve established, Galvalume is great at resisting corrosion over time. But the full extent of its protection goes far beyond simple rust resistance.

On the surface, Galvalume is resistant to rust and corrosion because of the aluminum in its composition. Since aluminum has natural rust resistance, Galvalume steel is much less likely to corrode at all.

But it’s not impossible for Galvalume to start to rust. Since it’s a steel product, it will always have some risk of corroding, even if the aluminum lowers that risk. This is especially true in the humid, coastal parts of Florida where saltwater is in the air.

However, Galvalume can heal itself thanks to the zinc in its chemical makeup. This happens by the zinc slowly removing itself from the sheet to protect the base steel. And that’s a great thing because it’s the steel in Galvalume that protects your home.

Altogether, this means that there’s virtually no way for rust to seriously damage your Galvalume steel roof.

Wind and Water Resistance

Of course, rust is far from the only roof killer in Florida. Hurricane-force winds and torrential downpours do serious damage to roofs in Florida every couple of years at least. But Galvalume steel is more than strong enough to withstand it all.

The total wind rating for Galvalume can depend on how it’s installed, but a fair expectation is a roof that can resist winds of at least 140 mph without sustaining damage. This means that your roof could withstand a Category 4 hurricane without showing any wear and tear, which is the kind of protection that everyone’s home deserves.

Whether you use hidden or exposed fasteners, your Galvalume steel roof will create a barrier to protect your decking from water damage. There is no way for water to soak through the metal (like what happens with shingles), and as we’ve established, rust won’t weaken your roof over time. This means that your roof will be totally secure against leaks, mold, or other issues caused by water damage.

Long-lasting Durability

In Florida, shingles are the most popular roofing material. However, this is due more to their low price than their great protection. Because even under great circumstances (which Florida rarely has), a shingle roof will generally last you 25 years at the most.

The story is very different with Galvalume steel, though. These hardy roofs can comfortably last for over 50 years before they start to show wear and tear. And thanks to their great performance in Florida’s climate, you don’t have to worry about your roof giving out prematurely.

Of course, there is one big trade-off for this great performance: the price.

How Much Does Galvalume Steel Cost?

Metal roofing in general is not cheap, and Galvalume is no exception. That said, calculating the exact price of your Galvalume roof can be tricky without knowing specifics. This is because your cost will be influenced by whether you use hidden or exposed fasteners, the size and accessibility of your roof, and the unique features of your roof.

That’s why we can only give you a ballpark figure for how much Galvalume costs in general. And that figure tends to come in around roughly $15 per square foot. This is much more expensive than shingles, which are roughly five dollars per square foot, but many homeowners consider it to be a worthwhile investment since their roofs will last for double the lifetime of a shingle roof, if not longer.

However, when compared to other types of metal roofing, Galvalume is downright affordable. Take brass roofing for example, which can cost $30 per square foot or more. What’s “affordable” depends largely on the individual, so it’s up to you to decide if Galvalume is worth the investment in your property.

Get a Free Galvalume Roofing Estimate

At John Hogan Roofing, we make it our job to answer all of our customers’ questions. To make sure that you have the best, most personalized information, we’d be happy to give you a free roofing estimate. This comes with no cost and no obligation—it’s just our chance to show you the price of your new Galvalume roof and demonstrate why we’re the reliable local roofers that you should choose.

Whether you’re interested in a new Galvalume roof or you’ve decided that another material is better suited to your needs, John Hogan Roofing has your back. Get your free estimate and see why we’re still the go-to local roofers after 30 years in business!