With more American homeowners choosing to participate in local recycling programs, businesses across the country have taken notice: offering recycled or eco-friendly products is becoming a reliable method of attracting long-term customers. Not only are factories and production facilities starting to work to gain “zero waste to landfill” status, but homeowners are more frequently seeking out residential roofing and siding contractors who offer high-quality recycled materials.

Specifically, metal roofs — made from the recycled aluminum that is found in beverage cans — are an attractive new option for homeowners who need to replace their aging asphalt roofs. Surprisingly, a typical metal roof uses about 1,800 aluminum cans for every 100 square feet; companies that produce recycled metal roofs report that they save over a billion gallons of fuel every year by making use of hundreds of millions of recycled aluminum cans.

Residential roofing can be a complex project, but finding a reliable roofing contractor who can provide a range of options and a workable time frame can go a long way toward easing homeowner anxiety. Siding repair cost can also be a worthwhile long-term investment when the proper materials are used; homeowners can expect both a substantial return on their investment and renewed curb appeal after completing repairs. Timely and complete roof repair can also save homeowners thousands of dollars in repairs to homes’ infrastructure.

In a long-term sense, investing in replacement windows and low-maintenance metal roofs can also allow homeowners to avoid some of the property and structural damage which often accompanies extreme weather. Some homeowners are also choosing to take advantage of recent technological breakthroughs in residential plumbing, opting for sewer replacement methods that minimize damage to their landscaping and on-site structures.

Recently, about 33% of homeowners contacted in a recent survey said that their choice of siding is limited or restricted by factors which can vary by their location. Siding repair cost, like the cost of residential solar panels, may be partially financed or offset in some instances by homeowners’ associations or by local zoning authorities. In some historical towns and in certain states across the country, homeowners may be surprised to find themselves qualified for home improvement grants or loans.