An Introduction to Cool Roofs

Have you ever wondered what impact your roof has on your heating and cooling bills? If you’re like most homeowners, chances are the thought has never crossed your mind. The truth is, however, that there is a direct relationship between your roof and your home’s level of energy efficiency. If you are concerned that you are spending too much on your HVAC bills—and needlessly wasting energy—then you may want to consider the benefits of a cool roof. Here’s what you need to know about these innovative roofing products.

Traditional roofs absorb the sun’s light and heat, thus causing your home’s interior to warm up. Cool roofs are designed to reflect sunlight and heat, keeping them from affecting the inside temperature of your home. Cool roofs can be designed in a number of different ways. They may simply be lighter in color than other roofs, or they may use light-reflecting materials such as a special sheet covering, reflective shingles, or even a reflective paint.

Your roof can get very hot in the summertime. This is especially true if you live in an area that experiences very high temperatures, such as the Southwest. In extreme temperatures, a well-made cool roof coating can keep your roof from overheating, thus preventing the heat from seeping down into your household and forcing you to turn up the AC to counter it. If your roof would normally heat up to 150 ºF, a cool roof could stay at least 50 ºF cooler.

When your home heats up, you’ll need to expend energy in keeping it cool—which means higher utility bills. Over the hot summer months, you may find yourself obliged to spend a lot of money just to stay cool! A cool roof, meanwhile, is a one-time expense that reduces your need to run your AC for long, expensive hours. In the long run, this can actually end up saving you a lot of money. In other words, it’s a purchase that can more than repay the original investment over time.

A cool roof can help out the planet by reducing your home’s environmental impact, but that’s not all. The more households there are in an area with cool roofs, the less likely that area is to experience the urban heat island effect, which is thought to be a contributor to climate change. It can also reduce a neighborhood’s peak demand for electricity, which in turn can cut down on the risk of power outages. Finally, by reducing the amount of energy an area is expending on operating HVAC systems, cool roofs can help to curb harmful emissions.

By reducing your need to use your AC, a cool roof can have a major impact on your household budget. However, this is not the only benefit of installing a cool roof for your home. Many homes, for example, have rooms that do not have AC vents. This means that your HVAC system cannot be used to cool them. A cool roof, on the other hand, can help to keep these rooms comfortable for you. If you spend a lot of time in your garage, this can be a major benefit to you!

One of the most important benefits of a cool roof coating is that it can actually help to extend the life of your roof. Most homeowners want to make sure they get the most use out of their roof before having to replace it. After all, buying a new roof is a major investment. A cool roof, by contrast, is a minor investment that can help to keep the sun’s light and heat from damaging your roofing materials, thus helping your roof stay strong and sturdy over time.

When you’re looking for state-of-the-art roof coatings for your home, you can always depend on Tucson Rubberized Coatings. We work to make sure that each and every one of our customers always gets the same high level of customer service and first-rate products they deserve. We are proud to offer Energy Star certified roofing products, so you can be sure that you’re conserving energy in your home while contributing to a more sustainable future. If you’d like to learn more, visit us today at one of our locations in Tucson or call (520) 293-3444. Our team will be happy to answer your questions.