For Beating Summertime Heat, Choosing The Right Roof Matters
Homeowners who understand rooftop energy efficiency save big as temperatures rise, reports Metal Roofing Alliance
PORTLAND, Ore., June 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- How to beat the heat this summer is top of mind for many U.S. and Canadian homeowners, especially during prime re-roofing season.
Roofs make a big difference in keeping homes cool during extreme temperatures. While metal is considered the most energy efficient roofing material available, some homeowners have a false belief that metal may be too shiny or conduct heat, actually causing a home's interior temperatures to rise.
"Nothing could be further from the truth for how metal roofs are designed to function," said Renee Ramey, Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) Executive Director. "To maximize energy savings and to stay comfortable in hot climates, it's important to understand the technical details behind roofing material performance."
It's true that with subpar materials and inadequate installation methods, roofs can be the least energy efficient component of any home, which is why some homeowners describe their energy costs as "through the roof" during hot weather season.
To comprehend how roofing material can instead increase efficiency, the first step is to understand the sun's energy, which is divided into UV, Visible and Infrared rays. Infrared, non-visible rays make up the majority, and they produce heat. UV rays (non-visible, cannot be felt, yet can cause wear and tear on building materials) and visible rays account for the rest.
Low-glare metal roofs reflect mostly non-visible, infrared and UV rays, the kind that produce the most heat and are the most damaging, emitting as much as 85 percent of solar heat gain. That means homeowners do not need to worry about their rooftops giving off a shiny glare, even in bright sunshine. Even darker color metal roofs will help lower home temperatures during sizzling summer weather.
Known as "Cool Roofs," ENERGY STAR-qualified metal roofs can help save energy by lowering roof temperatures by up to 50 percent. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that an ENERGY STAR labeled roof can lower roof temperatures by as much as 100 degrees F. Even basic, unpainted metal roofs will reflect more solar radiation than asphalt roofs.
"The type of roof homeowners choose has a real impact on their bottom line and budgets," said Ramey. "When it comes to practicality and performance, metal roofs simply make more sense."
For information about metal roofs, visit the MRA at www.metalroofing.com.
Contact: Darcie Meihoff, Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA), [email protected] or 971-998-3782
SOURCE Metal Roofing Alliance
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