What You Need to Know About Cool Roofs

If you are looking to replace your roof, cool roofs are on the rise with roofing contractor services mostly because of their eco-friendly nature. In essence, a cool roof is a roof that refracts sunlight and takes in less heat from the sun than regular roofs. This, in turn, ensures there is little heat that goes into the house, keeping it cool. With these roofs gaining so much popularity recently, you need to understand all you can about them before adopting the technology.

What Material Is the Cool Roof Made of?

You can turn any roofing material into a cool roof by having your roofing contractor paint them with highly reflective paint. Alternatively, they can either use a sheet covering or use highly reflective shingles or tiles. The science behind this is using reflective colors to bounce heat rays away from the roof to avoid heat absorption.

According to the Department of Energy, a standard roof can heat up to 150°F on a hot day. Cool roofs can help reduce this temperature to 50°F, keeping the house far cooler than a regular roof would be able to. Of course, this roof is probably the most useful in areas that experience scorching hot seasons.

Types of Cool Roofs

As previously mentioned, you can turn any roof into a cool roof with a coat of reflective paint. Some of the most common cool roofs include coated roofs that are treated with several different types of applied finishes. Foam roofs are also a good example of cool roofs as they are topped with a foam substance that work to reflect heat.

Asphalt and wood shingles also make for great cool roofs when coated with reflective substances. Generally, asphalt shingles have a low solar reflective index, making them good candidates for cool roofs. You can also have your roofing contractor convert your clay or concrete shingled roof into a cool roof by treating it with reflective coatings.

Benefits of Cool Roofs

As the roofing contractor services will advise, cool roofs play a big role in reducing your energy bills. Where you would need plenty of air conditioning to keep the house cool during the hot seasons, the cool roof will ensure the house is kept at optimum temperatures. The technology keeps all the harmful heat outside and absorbs a minimum amount of heat, so the house does not freeze either.

Cool roofs also protect themselves from wear and tear. Sun rays are harmful even to roofing materials as they cause them to split, blister, and crack. The cool roofing technology keeps the harmful UV rays at bay, keeping the roofing material at its optimum state.

These types of roofs are good options to consider when looking to replace your roof. Talk to a roofing contractor near you to learn more.