Traditional roofs absorb heat and make your houses hotter during the summer. An alternative to traditional roofs are cool roofs which are designed in a way that low temperature is maintained, even in extremely sunny days. Cool roofs reflect and release more sunlight than dark or hot roofs. The higher emissivity and solar reflectance of the material, the cooler your roof will be. You can save money, help the planet and your home to stay cool and conserve energy by installing a new cool roof, or converting your old roof into an eco friendly cool roof. Here’s how you can go about it:
Roof types and how you can convert them into cool roofs
Cool roof coating
There are special reflective coatings which reflect sunlight, and are similar to thick paints that can protect the surface of the roof from chemical damage and UV light. These coatings also protect from water damage and can be applied on most of the roofs.
Single ply membrane roof
Roofs of this kind are made by rolling pre-fabricated sheets on the roof. This is then attached with the help of mechanical fasteners, and glued with chemical adhesives, or with ballast such as pavers, stones and gravel. You can coat the membrane roof with coating to make them cool.
Green roofs
Green roofs may be the ideal solution for you. They are great for urban structures, which have shallow pit or flat roofs. Green roofs can be just plant cover or an elaborate garden. The main reasons why most people prefer this kind of roof is because they can manage storm water as well as to enjoy an open space. Green roofs provide insulation, lower cooling and heating requirements and have the capacity to reduce the heat island factor which is so common in urban areas. But green roofs are quite expensive, so before you install one, you ought to get the professional opinion of a roofer and then take an informed decision.
Built up roofs
These roofs have base sheets, layers of fabric reinforcement and a dark surface layer. You can use reflective chips of marble or gray slag to the surface layer to make them cool or apply cool coating on the top of the dark asphaltic coating of emulsion.
Photovoltanic systems
Called PV shingles, this roof captures the heat and redirects solar power to electricity. The shingles and cells are available in traditional sizes and shapes used on roofs, which make them aesthetically pleasing.
Foam roofs
Foam roofs are manufactures by the process of mixing chemicals together which react in order to expand and form a solid piece that glues on the roof. They rely on protective coating to avoid damage due to natural elements. The coating also keeps the roof cool, thus bringing the temperature of the house down.
Slate tiles’ roof
Slate tiles are earth toned and light colored and reduce the heat which is absorbed by the house. These tiles are naturally reflective and help to keep buildings / homes cool. They are expensive and heavy. Their weight makes their transportation difficult. But you can consider it an investment which will make it worthwhile over time.
Clay and terra cotta
Clay and terra cotta are used in countries which have little precipitation such as Mexico, Italy, Spain and American Southwest. They have a light brown color, which allows them to reflect sunlight and modern day clay tiles are treated with paint and weatherproofing, as well as reflective capacities. They have a tendency to snap in wet or cold weather.
Metal roofs
If you are planning to install metal roofs on your home, you should paint it or coat it to increase its solar reflectivity. Coating with a reflective coat will make your metal roof cool.
Shingle roofs
Made from overlapping panels which can be fibreglass, wood, polymers, asphalt or metals, shingle roofs are coated with granules which have better reflectivity. Asphalt shingle should not be coated but shingle roofs made of other materials can be coated with cooling paints.
Cool roofs are perfect for the summers as they can reduce the temperature of your home, reducing the need for air conditioners and thus reducing your electricity costs. They are eco friendly, as they also help to conserve energy.
Every day, new innovations are being done in the field of roofing. So, make sure that you stay in touch with them through any of the popular Web Magazine Networks. These will help you in making sure that you don’t spend your money on outdated technology.