Save on energy bills this summer by investing in a cool roof

With winter approaching, air conditioning costs are probably the last thing on your mind. You’re worried about keeping your home warm this winter and the costs associated with that. But time flies and summer will be upon us in no time—and with it, sunny days and lots of warm weather. This is good after a long winter of cold weather, but it can be very hard on your roof and your energy bills.The most common roofing material in America by far is asphalt shingles. There are many advantages to asphalt shingle roofs, one of the biggest ones being the lower cost. But one major disadvantage is that asphalt shingles absorb the sun’s rays and can become very hot, even reaching temperatures as high as 150 degrees. If you’ve ever walked barefoot on asphalt in the summer, you’ve experienced this effect. Because asphalt is obviously a major component in asphalt shingles, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that your roof is reaching similar temperatures as the street outside.

What’s the big deal?

If the shingles on your roof are well over a hundred degrees, imagine how hot your attic space is going to be. That pocket of hot air above your ceiling is going to have an effect on the internal temperature of your home no matter how good your insulation. That will drive up air conditioning costs significantly.The other problem with a hot roof is that it shortens its lifespan. Asphalt shingles expand in warm weather and contract in cold weather. This cycle of expanding and contracting wears down shingles over time. The hotter your shingles are getting in the summer, the faster they’re going to become warped and cracked and need replacing.

What’s the solution?

If the problem is the result of asphalt shingles absorbing the sun’s rays, the solution is finding a way to reflect the sun’s rays. There are several options for doing this.The first is a cool roof coating. The good thing about a cool roof coating is that it doesn’t require the expense of tearing off your existing roof and installing a new one. A cool roof coating is applied to your existing roof to improve its solar reflectance. The coating is painted on and will give your roof a white,reflective surface that will be much cooler in the summer months.A roof mist cooling system is a second option and it also doesn’t require roof replacement. The system is installed on your existing roof and sprays a cool mist across the roof surface. As this water evaporates, the roof temperature is lowered. Because it uses just a pint of water per square foot per day, the cost for the water is minimal and the energy savings is huge.A third solution is more expensive but long term, you can have a metal roof installed. Metal roofing has great solar reflectance by nature and will be sure to keep your home cooler in the summer. A metal roof can last for decades so it can pay for itself in the long run.

Home improvement news brought to you by bartonroof.com

Source: newswire.net/newsroom/pr/00089769­http­allseasonsroofinginc­com­custom­metal­roofs.html