Go Green DIY’s professional Team will provide you with more information about roofing products and how they can save you money through out a year.

How Can Roofing Be Energy Efficient?

If you’ve ever been up on your roof or even touched the roof’s surface on a warm sunny day you know how warm it can get. The more the roof is exposed to the sun and the darker its color, the hotter it becomes.

For most conventional roofing materials, that heat is transferred to the sheathing below and into the attic. From there it can permeate into your living space depending on the condition of the insulation. As your home heats up it puts a greater demand on the air conditioning system.

Energy efficient roofing materials minimize that “heat-soak” effect, reducing the amount of heat that’s passed into your home. That usually means that it doesn’t take as much air conditioning effort to keep your home comfortable.

Cool Roofs – Available In Several Materials & Colors

Cool roofing is available in several of the main types of roofing materials on the market for residential homes. ENERGY STAR qualified roofing comes in metal, tile (concrete, ceramic and composite) and asphalt shingles. Metal tends to have the best reflectance values making it a better choice from an efficiency standpoint.

There’s also a reasonable number of colors that you can choose from too, which varies depending on the type of roofing material you choose. The good news here is that you’re not locked into choosing white or very light gray.

From a color perspective you’ll probably have a wider range of choices (including some darker colors) among the metal roofing products because they generally have better reflectance capabilities. Some tile products also come with a decent array of colors to choose from.

 

The Benefits . . .

  • Lower Utility Bills
    The less heat that’s transmitted into your home from your roof the cooler your home will be and the less you’ll have to run your air conditioner. According to the Cool Roof Rating Council, that savings can be anywhere from 7% to 15%.
  • Better Comfort
    Even if you don’t use/have air conditioning, a cooler home during the warmer months of the year tends to be more comfortable. If you have a two-story home, the chimney effect (where the warmer air rises upwards) can make the upper floor warmer than the main level. Combine that with a hot roof that transfers heat from above and it can make for some uncomfortable sleeping quarters.
  • Extended Roof Life
    Excessive heat can cause more rapid degradation of your roof, particularly one with asphalt shingles which naturally degrade over time with exposure to the sun. The longer your roof lasts the fewer times you’ll need to re-shingle.
  • Possibility For Economic Rebates
    Utility companies in some municipalities offer rebates for the installation of energy efficient roofing. Check with your utility company directly to see if they currently offer a rebate.

The Cool Roof Rating Council, a non-profit organization chartered with developing methods for evaluating and labeling energy efficient roofing has a listing of rebate programs at the ‘resources’ section of their website. However these listings can sometimes become out of date. You can use them as a first attempt but it’s best to check directly with your local energy company to confirm.