Cool roofs and its benefits have been gaining more recognition among commercial property owners and homeowners. As one of the leading roofing contractors in Sarasota, we often get asked about cool roofs, so let Roofing by Curry answer them for you.
What Are Cool Roofs?
Cool roofs are commercial and residential roofing designed to keep the roof much cooler than traditional roofing even under steady exposure to sunlight.
How Does It Work?
It’s very similar to how light-colored clothing helps keep you cool on sunny days; the typically light color on cool roofs’ surfaces reflects sunlight and emits heat better than traditional roofing. A true cool roof has two material surface properties: the first, solar reflectance, is heat that is immediately reflected on the roof’s surface — cool roofs are tested to absorb less than 50% of the heat compared with traditional roofs. The second, thermal emittance, is how a surface cools itself by emitting its already-absorbed heat.
What Are the Benefits of Cool Roofs?
Cool roofs significantly reduce the heat inside a home or a commercial property. This means that the interiors will need less cooling, resulting in less need for air conditioning, finally resulting in lower energy bills.
What Kinds of Cool Roofs Are Available?
Roof companies in Sarasota may have different names and specifications for them, but so far there are 7 common cool roofing types:
- Cool Roof Coatings — Not an actual roofing material but a special coating with reflective pigments applied to existing roofs.
- Single-Ply Membranes — Sheets of specially-designed plastic or rubber compounds, installed on a flat or low-sloped roof using heat and/or chemical adhesives.
- Built-Up Roofs — Gray slag or marble chips can be used to replace gravel on traditional built-up roofing.
- Modified Bitumen Sheet Membranes — These are similar to single ply membranes but are made from asphalt. The membranes can be factory-treated to add cool roofing properties.
- Shingles — Factory-treated residential shingles are available, such as GAF Timberline® Cool Series® Shingles.
- Tiles — Clay and slate tiles are naturally reflective, but can be surface treated to enhance their reflective properties.
- Metal — Bare metal roofing is an excellent solar reflector but a poor thermal emitter. The latter can be corrected through custom factory treatments.
If you would like to know more about cool roofs, or for any other roofing services like roof repair in Sarasota, call Roofing by Curry at (941) 270-4770 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.
