The Vail Metal Shingle™ Difference
The Vail Metal shingle™ was designed to withstand the harsh and wildly varying climate of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. As word of its impeccable performance spread, the system was soon installed in mountain communities across the United States. The Vail Metal shingle system is now featured on homes all throughout the country. From sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow loads to the unrelenting desert heat and hurricane winds, a Principio Metal Systems metal roof can provide incredible value and peace of mind to owners in any region of the country.
The strength of the metal shingle
The strength that a Principio Metal Systems roof features is largely due to the redundancy of folds in the metal. While most metal roofs contain a minimum number of bends, the amount of bending varies widely with each roof. Increasing the number of bends results in a proportionally stronger segment of metal. There is roughly 900 linear feet of folding in each square of a Vail Metal shingle roof. In contrast, an identical area of a standing seam roof contains only 300 linear feet of folding. This particular difference is most noticeable in areas with a lot of snow fall. Snow density in certain areas can rise above 60 pounds per square foot. Many roofs in these areas that are not strong enough to carry these loads often result in frequent maintenance costs or expensive failures.
The folding of the Vail Metal shingle also contains a number of advantages over similar metal shingles. Other metal shingles are stamped during their manufacturing process in order to create seams in the metal. This is a simple way to obtain a dimensional aesthetic that is coveted by many homeowners. Some areas of these shingles remain unharmed, but this process weakens the metal at these seams by critically thinning the metal. These areas are easily broken when sustaining impact damage such as hail. By carefully folding the metal, Principio Metal Systems patented a way to create a dimensionality in its shingle without compromising the strength of the metal.
The flexibility of the system
Temperature fluctuations create a large problem for many roofs. Especially in Colorado where temperatures can swing by as much as 77°F in three days. The connections in a Principio Metal Systems roof were constructed to allow for this expansion and contraction. Everything from the channels in a panel-to-panel connection to the specialized attachment clips allow each panel to expand, contract, and even slide without separating or compromising the roof’s performance.
The look of the metal shingle
Metal roofing has become increasingly common in the roofing industry. While its durability isn’t often questioned, the aesthetic components of common metal roofing are often considered a downside. For example, standing seam roofs can be labelled as too “agricultural” or “industrial.” Additionally, the extensive lengths of flat panels make unsightly effects such as oil canning and impact damages much more noticeable, even from a distance.
As mentioned above, the same series of folds that are responsible for adding strength to the Vail Metal shingle also create a dimensional property. Each metal shingle panel is folded to display the appearance of four shingles. This property almost completely disguises effects such as oil canning and impact damage because the depth scatters light in a seemingly random pattern. Photographic evidence, shown below, highlights this unique feature.
The ease of installation
Installing any type of roof involves precise measurements, attention to detail, and specific tools. Specialized training is also required on certain types of roofing. The overall pricing for a roof is dependent on many factors, but often reflect how laborious and lengthy the roofing installation is. The Vail Metal shingle was originally designed by a veteran roofing contractor of 30 years. The ease of installation was paramount when he designed the system over the span of six months. Needing no specialized training or equipment, the system is often installed by handy homeowners.
The patented manufacturing process is a large part in creating an easy installation. The process at Principio Metal Systems produces a shingle that never varies more than a couple thousandths of an inch. This is very important, as a larger variation could result in a large decrease in its ability to shed water. Along with the incorrect folding, similar shingles that are made by hand can vary by as much as a ¼ of an inch. This can lead to corrosion, a significant reduction in the strength of the metal, and a complete inability for an effective panel connection.
The Principio Metal Systems difference
There are 17 different processes that occur in the manufacturing of a single Vail Metal shingle panel. Principio Metal Systems requires each individual process in order to achieve the type of performance it has achieved after decades the harsh environments.
Homeowners, architects, and contractors are faced with an inundated catalogue of options as more products with unproven claims enter the market every year. With this in mind, it is worth noting many key differences that make the Vail Metal shingle one of the most durable roofing products offered.
