Beautiful Southern California has many perks including warm sunny weather year-round. This amiable climate is wonderful to live in but it does make energy efficiency and keeping your home cool more difficult. Luckily, cool roofing materials can make all the difference. Energy-efficient roofing materials such as cool roofs are designed to reflect sunlight and absorb less solar energy keeping the inside of your home cool. GreenCal Construction has expertise in installing a wide array of roofing types including cool roofing materials. Cool roof shingles reflect the sun’s rays and will only get up to 50 degrees in direct sunlight as opposed to other roofing types that can reach upward of 150 degrees. Energy-efficient roofing materials will help you save money on energy bills and go green. Keep reading to find out what energy-efficient roofing can do for your home!
If energy efficiency is the primary goal of your new roof, the roofing types you’ll want to consider are metal roofing and asphalt shingles. They are the most energy-efficient roof materials and will best reflect the sun’s rays from your house.
Metal roofing
Metal roofing, while expensive, gives the best return on your investment in terms of energy efficiency. Metal roofs effectively reflect heat away from businesses and homes and can save up to 40% on energy costs.
Metal roofing has a variety of finishes that make your roof more energy-efficient. Pre-painted and granular coated metal roofs can readmit up to 90% of the heat that hits them.
These highly reflective coatings use cool pigments in the paint to keep the roof temperature low and reflect the maximum amount of heat that hits the roof. This reduces the need for air conditioning and keeps your home or business cool and comfortable.
Asphalt Shingles
Another energy-efficient roofing material is asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles are the most cost-effective roofing type when it comes to energy efficiency and cost around $3.50 to $6.00 per square foot. Asphalt shingles are also the easiest roofing type to install and the most cost-effective to repair.
It is important to note that the asphalt shingles must be infused with reflective granules. Similar to metal roofing when asphalt shingles are infused with reflective granules the shingles are a cool roofing material and will direct the sun’s rays away from your home and keep the interior cool. Asphalt shingles are not as effective as metal roofing as reflecting heat but they are more affordable and are an excellent option for any home.
You may be on the hunt for the most energy-efficient roofing material and color, however, there is not a single color that will perform better than another. However, light colors absorb fewer UV rays and will typically outperform a dark color which will retain heat. Opting for cool roofing materials and cool roof paint will also serve you best in reflecting heat from your home.
In particular, asphalt shingles that are brown and black don’t have Energy-Star ratings due to all the heat and UV rays absorbed and the amount of heat retained. Opting for lighter colors paired with cool roof paint will be the most effective in keeping the interior of your home cool. So when you are thinking of colors for your new roof, the lighter the better!
When it comes to roofing types and energy efficiency, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. GreenCal Construction is happy to walk you through metal roofing, asphalt shingles, and energy efficiency. We understand that saving money on electricity and taking care of the environment is a priority when it comes to your home. Call us today for a free roofing quote. We are looking forward to working with you and increasing the energy efficiency of your home. Call us today