A Metal Roof Reflects Heat & Reduces Energy Costs
It was 105 degrees in Austin this weekend, folks. Now is the time to think about replacing your inefficient shingles with a metal roof. There are TWO ways reflective metal roofs help when it comes to reducing energy costs.
Number one: Reflective metal roofing reflects sunlight. Most other roofing products that reflect the sun heat up the home and degrade the material. However, these reflective metal panels send the sunlight back into the air BEFORE it raises the indoor temperature, saving the material and your air conditioning bill.
The second way reflective metal roofing can help you reduce energy costs deals with how the metal panels are painted at the factory. Heat emitting paints and granular coatings are applied to the metal panels at the factory and are manufactured to re-emit absorbed solar heat back into the air which, of course, means less heat that’s absorbed your roof and transmitted into your home! You should be cooler, cool enough that you won’t need to put your AC on high.
Metal roofing is also landfill-friendly. Most of these roofs are made up of recycled metal and they can be recycled when they are all worn out. Instead of filling the landfill up with shingles, you’ll be able to reduce waste by recycling your panels at the end of their life. And, actually, in many cases you can install your new metal roof directly over asphalt shingle roofing, making it so that one less load of shingles takes up residence in a landfill.
What is Cool Metal Roofing?
Cool metal roofing is characterized as painted or coated metal items that reflect sunlight and dissipate heat. According to the Green Building Alliance, cool roofs help to limit heat transmission into the building, which can result in overall cooling cost energy savings ranging from 7% to 15%.
In fact, cool metal roofing has nothing to do with the metal substrate itself; it is entirely dependent on the paint or coating system put to the substrate during the production process. The novel sun reflective pigments in the cool metal roofing paint/resin formula (developed by Sherwin-Williams or some other paint provider) are the major differentiator.
Many home and business owners believe that a 40year shingle will last that long. Unfortunately, the majority do not. Shingles are still susceptible to insects, mold, rot, and the environment. It’s time to stop wasting money on shingle installation and instead turn to cool metal roofs for your new metal roofing system; a roof with lasting strength.
Some Austin Metal Roofing Benefits
Reflective metal roofing has other benefits that don’t have anything to do with being environmentally friendly. Reflective metal roofing also lasts a long time – most metal roofs are guaranteed to last 20 – 50 years and most roofs seem to last longer than the guarantee. The biggest issue with reflective metal roofing is determining whether the paint is holding up on the panels. While the panels don’t wear out, the paint does wear out which makes it lose some of its effectiveness and exposing the metal to the elements. But luckily, if that happens, all you need to do is repaint the roof! If you repaint your roof about every 20 years, you should be set for a long time.
If you’re curious about how much money you’d save by installing a reflective metal roof (or any other sort of cool roof) the United States Department of Energy came up with a Cool Roof Calculator. By using this calculator, you may more easily be able to tell how much money would save from heating costs and if it is worth it for you to install reflective metal roofing.
If you are interested in purchasing this sort of roof, you should definitely contact a metal roofing contractor. They can give you an estimate, talk about your options, and inspect your roof to make sure it won’t need reinforcements. Sometimes roofs need reinforcements to accommodate a metal roof material. You will then have to talk to an insurance agent. Most insurance companies will give you a discount on your insurance premiums if you get a metal roof installed (but you should always check in case your company might have restrictions about the material). It’s better to check in with the insurance company BEFORE you get started, especially so you can make sure you get all the benefits from having a reflective metal roof.
Get Your Reflective Metal Roof
Metal roofing professionals are available to help you through the roofing process, whether you choose to use reflective metal roofing or not. These companies are fully licensed and certified. They are also current – they know all the latest roofing techniques that will make your home safe.
With the help of positive reviews, we have identified the best choice for professional roofing in Austin. No matter what your needs are whether you need help with attaching a new roof, water damage, or wear and tear, they’re here to help you achieve your dream roof. Read more >.
