You are probably already pretty familiar with the way that dark colors absorb light and heat and that light colors reflect it.
That’s one of the reasons you choose to wear lighter colors on a hot day, or you opt to buy a white car instead of a dark blue, especially when you live in a warm location.
Have you ever stopped to think about ways you can help to mitigate the amount of heat that is absorbed by the rood on your home?
There is no time like the present to think about ways to keep your roof cool.
Ok, so not everyone wants to have a white roof, however, there is now a huge plethora of options available for today’s cool roofs.
So, there is no doubt that you can find a solution(s) that works with both your community aesthetic and your budget.
Let’s have a look at some of the what’s, why’s, and how’s of cool roofs below:
So, What Is A Cool Roof?
A cool roof is either constructed from or covered with a material that is designed to reflect the sun’s radiation.
It’s something that is extremely popular in areas that experience scorching summer temperatures and don’t drop to freezing lows.
Having a cool roof can save homeowners and businesses a decent amount of money on air conditioning costs.
It’s not clear at the moment whether a cool roof falls under the solar-based energy-saving technology that is protected by law. There are many states including Texas that have solar access laws in place to prevent HOAs from prohibiting solar energy measures or devices, these may apply to cool roofing materials too.
There are many different ways that a roof can be made cool. Firstly, a roof can be made cool with the use of naturally colling materials like ceramic tiles or metal.
The roof can also be painted with a solar-reflective or white paint. Solar-refective paint comes in a variety of colors ranging from light to dark.
It’s worth noting that the lighter colors are seen as more effective. You can also get radiation-blocking coatings applied to the inside of your roof, or opt for a protective membrane to cover the surface of your roof.
Some of these options might not follow the standards set by your community CC&R’s, so it’s always best to make sure you are checking what you’re options are first.
If you aren’t able to choose one of these options, there are other ways you can help such as using special energy-saving asphalt shingles which are specifically designed to keep your homes cool.
Just like the paints, these come in a range of different colors, always remember that the darker the color the less effective it will be.
The whole idea is to make sure you are reflecting as much of the sun’s radiation as possible, the best way to achieve this is to choose the lightest colors possible.
Why Is It Worth Installing A Cool Roof?
The biggest benefits you gain from installing a cool roof include the personal savings on electricity bills during any hot weather and of course, the positive impact this method of natural cooling has on the environment.
If you are using less energy to cool your home then ultimately energy companies will have the need to produce less.
The more cool roofs you see in a location the more the community becomes cooler and more environmentally friendly. This can make communities more attractive and sought after.
What Is It Going To Cost?
The price that you pay is going to highly depend on the materials that are used. Depending on the method you choose, installing a cool roof on your home can either be expensive or priced reasonably compared to a standard non-cooling roof.
As with most home improvements, it’s often the most effective materials that cost you a little more, but they are going to save you more in the long-run.
You just need to weigh up your options and think about the long-term investment it is for your home.
Materials like metallic solar-reflective paints can be one of the more expensive options.
Whereas some other solar-reflective paints and energy-saving shingles can be found at similar costs to your traditional paints and shingles.
Metal roofing is seen as the most effective cooling material to use but it going to cost you more for both the materials and the installation in comparison the asphalt shingles.
Overall shingles are the cheapest way of adding a cool roof to your home, but you do need to think about whether it’s going to perform the best.
What Are The Cons
As with most home improvements you are going to face some cons. Cool roofs definitely have more positives than cons but it’s good to be aware of the considered cons.
The main cons that are associated with a cool roof are that you are more limited on materials and color options compared to a standard roof.
There is also a higher cost that comes with certain materials and methods that you use, if you live somewhere that you need heating in the winter it can also lead to higher heating bills in the cold months. In some areas installing a cool roof can void warranties but not in all, so it’s worth bearing this in mind and doing your research.
To combat these cons, however, some local government and energy companies are now offering a rebate to customers who install a cool roof on their property.
Whilst heating costs can rise in the winter for homeowners with a cool roof, going cool might be more efficient overall, it’s best for you to crunch the numbers as homeowners who live somewhere that has more warm than cold weather are still going to better off with a cool roof.
Conclusion
This article should have given you a great start to your research about installing a cool roof on your home and how it can benefit you. If you’re looking for a way to help the environment and save on your energy costs a cool roof is definitely something you should consider investing in.