North Carolina · Metal vs asphalt
Metal roof vs asphalt shingles in North Carolina
Asphalt costs less today and lasts about 20 years on published averages; an Interlock® aluminum roof typically costs about 2.5 to 3 times as much (Metal Roof NC's rule of thumb) and is built to be the last roof you buy. Prices vary job to job, so an on-site estimate is required; compare both written estimates over the years you will own the house.
By Metal Roof NC · Updated October 17, 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.
Cost
About 2.5 to 3 times asphalt
Metal Roof NC's rule of thumb; varies with size, pitch and tear-off.
How does a metal roof compare with asphalt shingles?
Asphalt costs less today and, on published averages, lasts about 20 years; an Interlock® aluminum roof costs more today and is built to be the last roof most owners buy. The table sets out the rest for a North Carolina house.
| Asphalt shingles | Interlock® aluminum roof | |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front price | Lower | About 2.5 to 3 times asphalt, by Metal Roof NC's rule of thumb |
| 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 purchaser, transferable once |
| Hurricane wind | Tabs can lift and blow off once the seal strip lets go | Panels lock on four sides; wind warranted to 120 mph when installed to manufacturer specification |
| Humidity and algae | Dark streaks and moss are common on shaded, humid roofs | Smooth factory finish with no granules to hold moisture |
| Heat | Granules loosen and the mat ages faster in long, hot summers | Alunar® 70% PVDF finish in CRRC-rated colors |
| Salt air | Granules and tabs weather on exposed coastal roofs | Aluminum has no steel to rust |
| Hail | Bruises and loses granules | Can dent cosmetically under large hail |
| Weight | Heavier per square foot than aluminum | About 0.41 to 0.59 lb per sq ft installed, by profile (ICC-ES ESR-1790) |
| At the end | Torn off and sent to landfill, then replaced | Aluminum is recyclable |
Asphalt life expectancy: National Association of Home Builders and Bank of America Home Equity, Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, February 2007 (local weather, design, material quality and maintenance all move it). Price: Metal Roof NC's rule of thumb; prices vary job to job and an on-site estimate is required for an accurate price.
Is a metal roof worth it in North Carolina?
A metal roof is worth it in North Carolina if you plan to keep the house long enough to skip at least one asphalt replacement. 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.
Metal Roof NC's rule of thumb is that an Interlock aluminum roof typically costs about 2.5 to 3 times a traditional asphalt-shingle roof. Prices vary job to job with roof size, pitch, tear-off and other conditions, and an on-site estimate is required for an accurate price. Get a written asphalt estimate and a written Interlock estimate, then compare them over the years you expect to stay, counting the next tear-off.
Financing is available through Service Finance for qualified homeowners, subject to lender approval and terms. See metal roof cost.
How do North Carolina storms treat asphalt and metal?
Asphalt shingles fail first at the tabs and the seal strip, which is where tropical-storm wind gets in. Matthew in 2016 brought gusts above 70 mph along the coast and 40 mph or more across much of the Piedmont (NWS Raleigh), and Florence in 2018 stalled over the southeast of the state with more than 30 inches of rain in places (NWS Wilmington). An interlocked aluminum roof has no tabs to lift and no granules to wash into the gutters.
Piedmont ice storms are the other test: the State Climate Office of NC calls the western Piedmont the iciest part of the Southeast, and a quarter-inch of ice is often enough to bring limbs down. Neither roof stops a falling limb, but aluminum absorbs no water and has no brittle tabs in the cold. See hurricane-resistant roofing.
Does a metal roof lower insurance in NC?
Not by itself. Some North Carolina insurers offer discounts for roofs that earn an IBHS FORTIFIED designation, mainly for coastal homes in specific rating territories, and the amount depends on the insurer and location (IBHS). FORTIFIED is a construction standard with its own inspection, not a roofing material. Ask your agent before you choose, and ask us whether your project can be built to the standard.
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 doesn't allow it, and the current roof can't wait.
- Your HOA does not approve metal roofing in your community.
What happens if I am replacing asphalt now?
A single layer of asphalt may be roofed over only if an inspection finds it suitable and the local code allows it; otherwise it comes off. Two layers always come off. We check the decking and attic ventilation at the visit, and the project-specific estimate includes the tear-off and any decking repairs we can see.
Questions, answered
Is a metal roof better than asphalt shingles?
For a North Carolina house you plan to keep, usually yes: metal handles humidity, heat and tropical-storm wind better 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 in North Carolina?
Published averages put asphalt shingles at about 20 years (NAHB / Bank of America, 2007). Local weather moves that: long hot summers, humidity, tropical storms and, on the coast, salt air all work on asphalt.
How much more does a metal roof cost than asphalt?
Metal Roof NC's rule of thumb is that an Interlock aluminum roof typically costs about 2.5 to 3 times a traditional asphalt-shingle roof. Prices vary job to job with roof size, pitch, tear-off and other conditions; an on-site estimate is required for an accurate price.
Is a metal roof louder than shingles?
Installed over a solid deck and underlayment, as residential Interlock® roofs are, it isn't the drumming of bare metal on an open-framed barn.
Does a metal roof get hotter than shingles in summer?
Interlock colors carry CRRC ratings, and lighter colors reflect more sun. Attic ventilation matters as much as the roof color; we look at it during the visit.
Does a metal roof increase home value?
We don't publish a number for that; it depends on your market. What a buyer gets is a roof that won't need replacing soon and a Guardian Lifetime Limited Material Warranty that transfers once.
Can a metal roof go over asphalt shingles?
Sometimes: a single layer of asphalt may be roofed over only if an inspection finds it suitable and local code allows it. Otherwise it comes off first.
Sources
- National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity: Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components (February 2007)
- National Weather Service Raleigh: Hurricane Matthew, October 8, 2016 event summary (PDF)
- National Weather Service Wilmington, NC: Hurricane Florence (2018)
- State Climate Office of North Carolina: wintry precipitation and freezing rain
- IBHS FORTIFIED: incentives in North Carolina
- Guardian Lifetime Limited Material Warranty (full document, PDF)
- ICC-ES Evaluation Report ESR-1790, Interlock Roofing (PDF)
Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Weather and code facts are from the public agencies listed. Published by Metal Roof NC (Everlast Improvements LLC), updated October 17, 2026.
Related guides
- Interlock roofing in NC
- Hurricane-resistant roofing
- Aluminum roofing in North Carolina
- Interlock roofing in North Carolina
- Hurricane-resistant roofing in NC
- Metal shingles: a buyer’s guide
- Aluminum shingles
- Steel vs aluminum roofing
- Metal roof cost in North Carolina
- Metal roof warranties explained
Where we install in North Carolina
Metal Roof NC installs Interlock® aluminum roofs across the Triangle, the Charlotte area, the Triad and Piedmont, and the coast. See every service area.
Charlotte area
Triad and Piedmont
Get a written estimate to compare.
A project-specific estimate before work begins, from Metal Roof NC, an authorized Interlock aluminum roofing dealer. 5301 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27606