What is a Cool Roof?
A cool roof is a roof that absorbs less of the sun’s heat, and transfers less heat into the building.
Summer heat can make a house hot! Certain roofs will make the house hotter, and some “cool roofs” can make it cooler. The most important factor for how much heat the roof absorbs is the color of the roofing material. A dark roof absorbs more heat than a light colored roof.
The heat the roof absorbs is transferred into the building, this has a big impact on the inside temperature of a home. Having a cool roof can result in summer monthly power savings between 7%-15% to air condition a home.
Different types of roofing installations transfer the heat into the building differently.
Asphalt and Steel roofs absorb and transfer the most heat to a structure because they are installed directly to the roof deck (plywood). Steel roofs get so hot they require a special underlayment that will not melt and ooze out from under the metal! Elevated roofs such as concrete tile or stone coated steel will not transfer as much heat to the structure. This is because they are typically installed on an elevated wood batten system creating a dead air space between the roofing and the plywood deck. This in turn transfers less heat into the building.
What Are Cool Roofs?
The Cool Roof Council rates roofing materials for solar reflectance and thermal emittance. New roofing technology has made cool roofs a new, cost effective way to combat heat from the sun’s rays. The scale for reflectance and thermal emittance is from 0 to 1–with 1 being optimal. Cool roofs are made from materials that reflect the sun’s rays up to four times more than standard roofing materials. Cool roofing materials will reflect parts of the light spectrum that are invisible to the human eye but carry a lot of heat.
Asphalt shingle Cool Roofs are a great option for a residential roof replacement
Asphalt Shingle cool roofs have a lot of benefits in terms of initial cost effectiveness, these types of roofs also last longer than traditional roofs. During excessive heat, traditional asphalt shingles become more brittle, making them more susceptible to wind and hail damage. The durability, and lowered chances of a roof insurance claim with these roofs during summer months is another advantage of using a cool roof.
It’s not just a roof, it’s the Roof System
It’s not just the color of the Roof material, it’s an entire system. The 3 system components are:
The roof covering -a cool, hail resistant material is best
Attic ventilation -1 to 150 ventilation ratio, utilizing a mechanical fan to exhaust hot air is best
The Attic insulation -R49, 20 inches of attic insulation is best
Theses 3 components need to be designed and installed correctly in order to optimize the energy efficiency of the system.
Top roofing companies know the best replacement roof systems
If you have an insurance claim and are getting a new roof, you should contact an A+ rated BBB company like Excel Roofing. We know the best cool, hail resistant, energy saving roof system for you. Important tip, never pay a roofing contractor any money up front, at Denver’s best roofing company, “You Don’t Pay A Cent Until You’re Content”! If you have any questions, or need an estimate schedule an inspection with the cool roofing experts at Excel Roofing!
