Asphalt shingles vs metal roofing in Northern Virginia
Neither covering wins on every house. What separates them is how each is built, how each is tested and labeled, and which details of your roof and address the choice has to fit.
sealed by sun heat
held by screws or clips
The neutral sources do not rank the two coverings
IBHS and the Building America Solution Center describe two systems with different slope limits, different test labels and different details to get right. Which one fits is decided by your roof's slope, deck, attic and address, in that order of effort.
Two systems
What each covering is made of and how it stays on the roof
Wording below follows the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) and the Building America Solution Center (BASC), a Department of Energy program run with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Asphalt shingle
- Build
- A fiberglass mat saturated with asphalt, topped with granules that shield it from UV light, plus a sealant strip.
- What holds it
- Nails, and a sealant that bonds the shingles together under the sun's heat. IBHS says wind and rain are a risk until that seal forms, and that manufacturers warn shingles may not seal properly below 40 F.
- Slope limit
- BASC: only on slopes of 2 in 12 or greater, with a double underlayment from 2 in 12 up to 4 in 12.
Metal
- Build
- Exposed fastener panels with gasketed screws, concealed fastener panels such as standing seam on clips, or metal shingles and tiles that overlap like shingles.
- What holds it
- Screws or clips. BASC says standing seam is seamed on site with specialized tools and typically needs sheathing, and that fasteners must not be under-driven or over-driven.
- Slope limit
- BASC: standing seam down to a 2 percent slope, lapped panels without sealant from 3 in 12, metal shingles not below 3 in 12.
On cost, BASC says metal "tends to cost more than asphalt shingles" and gives no figure. This guide gives none either, because a figure depends on the written scope. See how a roof replacement is priced and the asphalt shingle and metal sections of our materials guide. A low-slope section below those limits needs a different system, covered on our flat roof page.
Labels
Reading the wind, hail and fire labels side by side
A rating is a test result for a product or an assembly. These are the tests IBHS and BASC name.
| Hazard | Asphalt shingle | Metal |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | ASTM D3161 (classes A, D, F) or ASTM D7158 (classes D, G, H). | UL 580, then UL 1897, on a roof assembly tested from the deck up. |
| Hail | UL 2218 Classes 1 to 4, or FM 4473. A shingle is made impact resistant with a back scrim or polymer-modified asphalt. | UL 2218 Classes 1 to 4, the steel ball test. |
| Fire | Fire classifications A, B or C, tested to UL 790 or ASTM E108. BASC: "Most asphalt shingle roofs" reach the highest one with no extra deck or underlayment. | Same tests. BASC: metal "usually" needs a noncombustible roof deck or fire-resistant underlayment for the assembly to qualify for the highest one. |
Two cautions from the same pages. IBHS says the shingle wind standards test new products and do not account for weathering, temperature or aging. And BASC says metal makers normally publish an Evaluation Service Report listing fire classification, wind uplift and impact rating, so ask for the report by name when a quote cites a rating.
Four assumptions homeowners bring, and what the sources say
An impact rating means the roof will not be damaged by hail.
IBHS describes the UL 2218 pass mark as no crack visible on the back after two impacts in one spot. Our reading: that mark does not speak to dents. IBHS runs a separate test that rates dents, granule loss and breach.
Shingles can go on any pitch.
BASC sets a floor of 2 in 12, and a double underlayment from 2 in 12 up to 4 in 12. Check every slope, including dormers and porch roofs.
Metal sheds snow, so there is nothing to plan for.
BASC warns that condensation can form under metal in cold or night-subcooling conditions and calls for venting. It also names snow guards where falling snow endangers a doorway, and notes they can overload a roof structure.
A fire rating belongs to the shingle or panel alone.
BASC ties the rating of a metal roof to the assembly, including the deck or underlayment beneath it.
Which question to settle first, second and third
First: whether your address lets you choose metal at all
A town board, a city board, a county counter or an association can answer before any product question matters. Our Northern Virginia metal roofing page shows who answers first, and the city pages for Fairfax, Alexandria and Leesburg go place by place. This guide does not repeat them.
Stop here if the answer is no for your parcelSecond: the slope and the deck
ARMA says new shingles cannot be properly applied over uneven surfaces or an unsound deck, and that some local ordinances forbid reroofing over two or more layers of shingles. Ask the permit office what applies at your address, and see the permit notes on our replacement page.
Third: the labels, and who holds the report
Match the wind, hail and fire labels in the table above to the quote, and ask for the metal maker's report or the shingle wrapper's instructions.
Fourth: the attic and the eaves
ARMA says attic ventilation moves heat and moisture out and helps with ice dams. For cold regions BASC adds a self-adhering membrane along the eaves and air sealing and insulation. Neither source says one covering removes that work.
Details that decide how either roof ages
Professional Roofing, the magazine of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), puts the key to a long-lasting residential metal system in its ability to accommodate thermal movement. That is an installation detail, so ask how the panels are allowed to move; the metal section of our materials guide goes further.
For shingles, IBHS makes timing the detail. Sealing takes one to two weeks in summer warmth and one to two months or more under poor conditions, and unsealed shingles are exposed to wind and rain in the meantime. Ask when your roof will be installed and what protects it until it seals.
Fastening matters on both. BASC says codes require at least four nails per strip shingle and recommends six where winds are high, driven properly and never stapled. IBHS describes a voluntary FORTIFIED Roof program with ring shank nails, a sealed deck and extra edge detail; ask whether the work follows manufacturer instructions, local code or something stricter.
What a written scope should name for either covering
- The covering and its test labelsWind, hail and fire labels written out, with the report or wrapper they come from.
- How it is fastenedNail count and placement for shingles; screw or clip layout for metal, with compatible metals.
- The underlayment and eave protectionWhat goes under the covering and along the eaves.
- VentilationHow the attic or the metal assembly is vented.
- The deckWhat happens if the deck is unsound once the old roof is off.
- Who files whatPermit, board or association submissions, and who handles each.
Our roof replacement page shows how a scope is structured, and roof repair covers work short of replacement.
Questions about choosing shingles or metal
Is metal or asphalt better for Northern Virginia?
The sources used here, IBHS, BASC and ARMA, do not rank them for the region. Both can be tested for wind, hail and fire, and each has details to get right. Your slope, deck and address decide which one is available and sensible.
Do impact-rated shingles and metal use the same hail test?
Both can be tested with UL 2218, a steel ball test with Classes 1 to 4. IBHS says shingles may also be tested with FM 4473, an ice ball test.
Does a metal roof need special venting?
BASC says condensation can form on the underside of metal in cold or night-subcooling conditions and recommends a vented attic or battens that vent the assembly. Ask how the quote handles it.
What is the lowest slope for shingles?
BASC gives 2 in 12, with a double underlayment from 2 in 12 up to 4 in 12. Lower slopes need another system, as on our flat roof page.
Is standing seam the same as exposed fastener metal?
No. IBHS lists exposed fastener panels as lapped panels held by screws and standing seam as a concealed fastener type. BASC adds that standing seam is seamed on site and typically needs sheathing.
Will my insurer treat an impact-rated roof differently?
None of the sources here address insurance, so ask your insurer directly and get the answer in writing before you rely on it.
Can new shingles go over the old roof?
ARMA says that depends on the surface and deck underneath and that some local ordinances forbid reroofing over two or more layers of shingles. Ask the permit office for your address.
Will my association allow metal?
That depends on the association and the parcel. Start with the documents your association gives you, then the metal roofing page and our service areas.
Official pages used, checked October 16, 2026
IBHS Roof 101; BASC asphalt shingle roofs; BASC metal roofs; ARMA frequently asked questions; Professional Roofing, April 2016. The International Code Council's code site could not be opened today, so no code section numbers are quoted.
Talk through the next step
Tell us the roof you have and the one you are weighing
Share the address, the roof's slope and whether you are leaning toward shingles or metal. We will point you to the questions and local pages to read first.
9220 Topaz St, Fairfax, VA 22031
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