What is the depreciation life of a metal roof?
Insurance: slower depreciation
Because adjusters divide age by expected life, a long life means small yearly depreciation. A 10 year old metal roof given a 50 year life is depreciated 20 percent, while a 10 year old shingle roof given 25 to 30 years is a third or more. Exposed fastener panels are often given shorter lives than standing seam, because the screws and washers wear out long before the panels.
The bigger issue on metal: cosmetic dents
Hail often dents metal without letting water in. Many policies now carry a cosmetic damage exclusion that refuses to pay for dents that do not affect how the roof works. On metal, that exclusion usually matters far more than the depreciation rate. Punctures, split seams and broken fasteners are functional damage and remain covered, and disputes over whether cracked paint or coating counts as functional are common.
Payment schedules
If your policy has a roof payment schedule, metal usually has its own column that declines more slowly than shingles. Check the table rather than assuming.
Tax depreciation
- Your own home: none; the cost adds to your basis.
- Residential rental: 27.5 years, straight line, the same as a shingle roof.
- Nonresidential building: 39 years, and roofs on nonresidential property may qualify for Section 179 expensing.
For how metal holds up in this climate, see metal roofing in Georgia, and for the basics of claim depreciation, ACV vs RCV.