There’s nothing better than sitting inside on a hot summer day with the air conditioning on full blast — or at least, that’s what you think until the first bill comes. With energy use on every homeowner’s mind, finding a compromise between comfort and cost can sometimes be a balancing act. We’ll, we’re here to tell you that your home could actually help save energy rather than use it, thanks to cool, metal roofs.
Cool Roofs
A cool roof is one that has been designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than traditional roofs. On a hot summer day, traditional roofs can reach temperatures of 150 degrees or more. However, on that same day, a cool roof would be around 50 degrees. Though cool roofs can be made from several materials, one of the most popular options lately have been metal roofs. Metal roofs are able to reflect solar energy that would normally be absorbed into your attic .
The energy efficiency of a roofing material is determined by its:
- Solar Reflective Index (SRI): All materials absorb some amount of heat. An SRI will tell you how well (or poorly) a material reflects and absorbs sunlight.
- Thermal Emittance: How much of the sun’s heat is absorbed by the material. If a material has a high thermal emittance rate, it will be easily able to radiate and expel the heat it traps. This prevents the heat from entering and circulating around a house.
Additional Benefits of a Cool, Metal Roof
- Reduce energy use, especially in the summer
- Limited sun absorption can prolong the life of your roof
- It can lower the temperature of rooms that do not have air conditioning (like attics, garages, and storage closets)
- Lower peak electricity demands
- Reduce local air temperatures
To learn more about your metal roofing options, call us today at 203-299-0716 to learn more and request a FREE ESTIMATE. Let our experienced roofers help you!