Can I paint my metal roof? Is it reliable and how much does it cost?
— Angie's List member Linda Knudsen

If the roof's structural integrity is in good shape, it usually costs less to repaint than to replace it, says Todd Miller, a board member with the trade group Metal Roofing Alliance. "If the paint is just faded or chalky, it's still adhering to the metal's surface and can be repainted," he says. Since many metal roof manufacturers guarantee their product for 30 to 50 years, he suggests customers should check their warranty prior to repainting.

Even if a metal roof shows signs of rust, Roger Castino, owner of highly rated Castino Painting & Home Services Inc. in Northbrook, Ill. sees no need to replace the roof. "Everything rusts," he says. "You can sand the rust down to the metal, prime it and repaint it."

For metal roofs, Castino recommends using only 100-percent latex acrylic paint. "A metal roof expands and contracts with the weather," he says. "The latex paint is like a latex glove. It will stretch with the metal."

He suggests keeping a can of the remaining paint for later touch-ups: "Latex won't fade, so you can spot-prime and spot-paint it if you get a section that pops loose."

Dan Mohs, estimator and project coordinator for highly rated Tans' Quality Roofing Inc. in Chicago, suggests preserving a metal roof by keeping it clean and free of debris. "As long as the paint finish is intact, the roof should last forever," he says.

Miller estimates that repainting a metal roof can cost about $2 to $3 per square foot and that replacing one can cost from $5 to $10 per square foot.