Steel roofing has many benefits, some obvious, some not so obvious – until faced with a potential disaster!

Besides the ease of installation, it is durable, attractive, energy efficient, lightweight, recyclable and versatile. It will withstand deep snows, high winds and…it is fire resistant.

The relevance and importance of fire resistance was recently spotlighted on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer. In a feature story about the ongoing wildfires in 13 western states, Ms. Sawyer showcased a Washington home which survived the raging wildfires while other homes in the area burned to the ground.

How this one home survived, while its neighbors did not? It had a steel roof!

In some areas, Planning Departments or Home Owners Associations have taken the position of steel roofing somehow being a less aesthetic design solution.

On the flip-side, Building Departments in fire-prone areas often require fireproof or fire-resistant materials to be used on building roofs. A building’s roof is the most vulnerable part of a structure, since embers can be blown onto the roof long before a fire reaches the immediate area. As aptly pointed out on ABC News, a fire-resistant or fireproof roof gives the structure a better chance of fire survival.

If a concern exists about fire (as it should) on any building – whether a garage, shop, home, agricultural, industrial or commercial building, steel roofing should be a prime consideration.