What to Know about Metal Roofs and Lightning

If you are worried about metal roofing increasing your risk of a lightning strike, you don’t need to be! While metal roofing is conductive, the Metal Construction Association reports that metal roofs do not attract additional lightning strikes.

According to the Metal Construction Association’s technical bulletin, “Research has shown that the material used in roof construction does not influence the risk of a lightning strike. There are several other factors that may influence the risk of a lightning strike that will be discussed; however, the presence of a metal roof may actually be beneficial in a situation where a lightning strike has taken place.”

How to Reduce the Risk of Lightning Strikes

Lightning is attracted to several unique factors of your building’s construction and location. Here are the most prevalent risk factors for lightning strikes:

• Size: Large buildings are more likely to suffer lightning strikes than smaller ones.
• Height: Tall buildings are similarly more likely to be struck, particularly the tallest building in a given area.
• Weather: Areas prone to violent electrical storms are of course more likely to suffer lightning strikes
• Local Geography: Buildings at the highest point in a given area, such as on hilltops, are most likely to be struck by lightning.

Luckily, none of these factors relate to your roofing material! That means that you can safely build your roof from the most durable material around – stone coated metal roofing panels – without added risk of damage by lightning!