A homeowner in Texas went onto the popular web-based discussion board Reddit to grouse about a homeowner association’s stymying attempt to block their plan to install a hurricane-resistant metal roof, insisting that composite shingles be used instead.

“I’m in the Texas Gulf Coast and can’t install a roof that does well against high winds, high heat, hail, and the general crazy weather we have now,” the user explained in their Reddit post, which was first reported on a website newsletter called “The Cool Down.” 

The post continued: “A quality metal roof will last a lifetime and resists winds up to 160 mph. Most shingle roofs are good to 60 mph winds before they start to get damaged … I don’t want to invest in another junk composite shingle roof in an area where they are crap.”

Hurricanes, as Texans and, increasingly, many coastal communities surrounding the three bodies of water surrounding the continental U.S., know, hurricanes pose a significant risk to both life and property.  

Since the official start of this year’s hurricane season, there have been 14 tropical cyclones, all of which became named storms. Four of those strengthened into hurricanes, with three becoming major hurricanes. Four named storms formed during the first six weeks of the season.

“Whatever was already going to happen, like droughts, floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves, snowstorms, rain — all that is still going to happen,” she wrote. “But when it happens, it’s going to be worse. Also, extreme versions of what used to be normal weather are going to happen more often.”

Metal roofs can also provide significant energy savings to homeowners as well, which is why many wish to pursue them.

In his Reddit post, the homeowner wrote, in part, “I am not a roofer, nor do I have anything to do with the industry. I am a science teacher and coach. I have lived on the Gulf Coast my entire life and see pallets of shingles, as well as roofers, go door to door after every storm.”

The Texas Redditor included a link for a petition in their original post in an attempt to garner signatures and attention to their problem. It has garnered more than 230 signatures since its posting in 2021.

“HOA's being able to force people to only use roofing materials that are inappropriate for an area's weather is [expletive],” said one commenter.

“I'm not a huge fan of conspiracy theories, but I would entertain speculation that there is a connection between someone in HOA and someone in the roofing business,” wrote another commenter.