8 Roofing Materials To Keep Your Home Cool
Wednesday November 6, 2019
It may not be summer anymore, but the temperatures in Florida aren’t dropping quickly. The cooler weather means it’s a good time to start thinking about your roof - is it energy efficient? How can you make it more efficient before next summer to keep energy costs as low as possible?
Sometimes, a roof cleaning by your local Melbourne roof cleaning team is all you need to get your roof looking like new, and to extend its lifespan. But sometimes replacement is unavoidable. If you’re thinking about replacing a roof, energy efficiency is a huge factor for Floridians! Here, we discuss 10 roofing materials that can keep your home cool and improve energy efficiency.
Terra Cotta Tiles
Terra-Cotta is a style of tile that is made of baked clay and shaped in a curved pattern. according to your local Melbourne roof cleaning team, It’s highly weather resistant and durable - this type of roof regularly lasts 50 years. The curvature in the tiles also improves air circulation which helps reduce the heat that gets into the house. However, some drawbacks of terra-cotta is that it weighs a lot and is more expensive than other types of roofs.
Concrete Tiles
Concrete tiles have the same heat-reduction properties as terra-cotta, but are much less expensive. The thickness of concrete tiles means they take longer to heat in the sun, and keep your home cooler. They can also be formed in the same curved shape as terra-cotta, which improves air flow, and some studies have suggested curved concrete tiles reflect up to 74% of heat. Although this type of roof can be dyed to be more aesthetically pleasing, it is very heavy.
EPDM Roofing Membrane
This type of material is a mouthful, and often goes by rubber roofing. But it’s not actually rubber - it’s a synthetic rubber-like material that’s extremely weather-resistant. It can be cut to a variety of shingle shapes and sizes to fit different home styles. When it’s coated with titanium dioxide, it reflects a lot of light and reduces heat on the interior of a home well.
Metal Roofs
For a long time, metal roofs were viewed as cheap and unattractive, but recently they’ve started becoming fashionable and valuable as an affordable, energy-saving option for homeowners. They’re environmentally friendly, since they’re often made from recycled metal, and they reduce heat absorption because they reflect a lot of light. But the secret to their energy efficiency the area of dead space between the metal roof and the interior of the home. This air buffer helps lower heat transfer from the roof to the home. Metal roofs also cool faster at night, which means less heat is retained and able to transfer to your home.
Green Roofs
Green roofs are exactly what they sound like - they have a waterproof layer of material that’s covered with plants. Green roofs are great energy savers for any climate - they’re extremely good at reducing heat transfer during the summer and absorbing heat during the cooler months. Of course, they’re great for the environment, too. They don’t just reflect the sunlight - they absorb it and use it without transferring it to your home. With the rise in popularity of green roofs, your local Melbourne roof cleaning team states that you have lots of options with visual design of your roof so you don’t necessarily have to go quirky to go green!
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles are extremely common, but they’re a pretty good option for energy-efficient roofs. They’re engineered to reflect both UV and infrared light, so the heat transfer to your home is lower. Plus, they don’t have to be the ugly version of asphalt we all automatically think of - they come in any color to match your style!
Slate Tiles
This type of roofing is a high-end alternative to concrete or terra-cotta roofs. Like those other types of roofing, stone tiles are reflective and reduce heat transfer, and their thickness slows down heat absorption. But they’re also beautiful and durable, resistant to weathering and requiring less maintenance than other types of roofing. The biggest drawbacks for slate tiles is that they’re very heavy (it’s basically a bunch of rocks on your roof) and more expensive than many other roofing materials.
Solar Panels
Maybe the best of all worlds for roofs is solar panels. Aesthetically pleasing, energy-efficient, and often equally affordable to other types of roofs, solar panels are an attractive option for homeowners. Instead of simply reflecting heat, they capture it and redirect the energy of the sun into electricity. In essence, solar panel roofs save you money in two ways at once - they reduce heat transfer to your home so your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard, and they use the sun’s energy so you don’t have to buy as much electricity from the power company. Best of all, they’re becoming more common so the price for installation is going down, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes so they look good on your roof, too.
When you’re looking to replace your roof and go for a more energy-efficient roofing material, it’s good to get educated on all the options! We hope this blog helps.
If you’re not looking to replace right now, but want your roof to look like new, Melbourne roof cleaning professionals from Beacon can help! Often a good cleaning is all you need to get your roof looking 100% again. Visit our website to see more about our roof cleaning services!
