If you haven’t heard of it already, there is a new type of roof available called a cool roof, an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient roofing system widely recommended by governments and roofing and siding contractors all across the globe. Cool roofs are basically roofing systems that are designed to lower the temperature of your roof and maintain this lower temperature even during sunny days. These roofs are special because they perform better than traditional roofs, and since sunlight is the primary factor that heats up roofs in general, cool roofs are a feasible option recommended by Woolwich Township roofing and siding contractors.
How Cool Roofs Work
When compared to dark or hot roofs, the surfaces of cool roofs have the ability to reflect sunlight and diffuse heat a lot more efficiently. In general, hot roofs are known to absorb more heat from the sun compared to cool roofs, and therefore remain hot at all times. There are two main properties that determine the temperature of the roof based on the surface of the roofing material you choose, and they are solar reflectance (SR) and thermal emittance (TE). Solar reflectance is the measure of a roofing material’s ability to reflect the solar energy from the sun back into the atmosphere. Thermal emittance is a factor that helps determine the cooling efficiency of a surface by diffusing thermal radiation. Both of these values should range between 0 and 1, and the larger the values are, the cooler the roof will be even in the sun.
In the case of dark roofs, Woolwich Township roofing and siding contractors point out that they usually absorb at least 90% of the solar energy from the sun and can therefore reach temperatures over 150oF, especially during summer months. When the roof temperature gets higher, the flow of heat into your house will automatically increase. As a result, the air conditioning system in your house will naturally have to work more, thus consuming a lot more energy than you anticipate during the summer. On the other hand, if you have cool or light-colored roofing systems installed, the amount of solar energy absorbed by the roof’s surface will be less than 50%, which brings down the temperature of your roof and, in turn, the use of air conditioning systems inside.
Cool Roof Colors
Most individuals think that cool roofs are available only in the color white. When you talk to a Woolwich Township roofing and siding contractor, you will find out that cool roofs are available in a wide range of colors. Yes, white-colored roofs can reflect solar energy efficiently; however, even colored roofing materials can be designed and manufactured to deliver the same results. Such roofs are usually referred to as cool color or cool dark color roofs, and these roofs can reflect much more sunlight than the traditional dark-colored roofs. But they are still ultimately less efficient than light-colored roofing surfaces. Some of the common colors you will be able to find include blue, gray, black, terracotta, chocolate, and green.
The natural flow of heat usually happens from a warmer area to a colder area. Professional Woolwich Township roofing and siding contractors use terms like heat gain and heat loss when it comes to the topic of cool roofs. Heat gain is basically the heat that flows or moves into your building, while the exact opposite is referred to as heat loss. When heat gain is higher than usual, the air conditioning system in your house will start working more powerfully to maintain the right temperature inside the building. On the contrary, when heat loss is higher than usual, the heating system in your house will work more efficiently to keep your interior space comfortable.
The primary goal of using cool roofs is to minimize heat gain in your house throughout the year. While this can bring down the consumption of energy for cooling, the amount of energy used by your heating system will obviously increase. But, due to the fact that you will get to save a lot more money on your cooling costs than with heating, cool roofs are certainly a great option for homeowners. So if you wish to enjoy the benefits of cool roofs, contact a reliable Woolwich Township roofing and siding contractor to have it installed.