Your roof plays a major role in protecting your family from the elements. But what if your roof could do more for you? Energy-efficient roofing solutions are becoming more important to homeowners, and come with great benefits. Energy efficiency is particularly relevant to South Florida, which enjoys at least 230 sunny days each year. Several attractive residential roofing solutions can offer you increased energy efficiency.
From solar panels to cool roofs, let’s take a look at the leading energy-efficient residential roofing solutions.
How Can An Energy-Efficient Roof Benefit You?
You may not realize how much your roof impacts your monthly utility bills. Investing in an Energy-efficient roof solution will help to reduce your overall energy consumption. Metal roofs, for instance, offer a lower thermal mass than tile and shingle roofs. This means they release heat quicker, leading to less unwanted heat transfer into your home. The less heat in your home, the less you’ll need to rely on your HVAC system. You can save between 25% to 25% on your monthly electric bills by investing in a metal roof or what is known as a ‘cool roof’. Adding a solar roofing solution adds to these benefits by creating energy for your home.
Three Energy-Efficient Solutions For Your Roof
Whether you’re replacing your roof, or keeping your existing roof, here are three attractive ways to improve your energy efficiency.
1. Go Solar
Investing in solar panels is a great way to become energy-efficient without replacing your existing roof. 2023 saw nearly 800,000 American households invest in solar. With an 89% growth rate of America’s solar module base in the same year, solar roof installations are poised to go on more household roofs than ever before. This growth is no surprise, as solar produces clean energy that will save you thousands of dollars in energy bills.
Solar panels typically enjoy a lifespan of over 25 years, which is why it’s important to ensure that your current roof still has a fair amount of life left. You don’t want to replace your roof a few years after getting solar installed. The good news is that clay, concrete, and metal roofs, all enjoy a lifespan longer than your solar panels. It’s always best to chat through these considerations with a roofing professional who can advise you appropriately. They’ll also be able to recommend energy-efficient residential roofing solutions, including a reference for an accredited solar system installer.
2. Consider A Reflective Roof
Painting your roof is an affordable way to increase your energy efficiency. A Reflective roof or roof coating, otherwise known as a ‘cool roof’, is designed to reflect sunlight from your roof, thereby lowering the internal temperature of your home. This is due to special pigments that are added to the paint, and which can be applied to most roofing types. Metal roofs are often supplied with a roof coating, with darker metal roofs being incorporated with reflected granules. As darker colors absorb more heat, these mineral granules help to reflect excess heat. Chat with your trusted roofer about the right reflective paint solution for your roof.
3. Invest In An Energy-Efficient Roof Replacement
A roof replacement is the perfect way to move towards a more sustainable home. Several roofing materials are conducive to energy efficiency. The most effective materials include:
- Metal Roofing
- Tile Roofing
- Asphalt Roofing
- Solar Roofing Shingles
Metal Roofing
Metal roofing is extremely energy efficient and comes with a high energy star rating. With its low thermal mass, metal roofs help to keep your home cool in summer to lower your energy bill. A professional metal roofing installer will ensure that the space between the roof deck and the metal sheeting is sufficient to help block conduction and prevent heat transfer to your home. Metal roofs have a long lifespan of up to 70 years.
Tile Roofing
Tile roofs also enjoy a long life span of up to 100 years. This means that, in all likelihood, you won’t need to replace your residential roof again. Tile roofs have more thermal mass than metal roofs, but you’re able to apply a reflective glaze to counteract heat absorption. Applying a lighter color polymer is also a good way to increase your roof’s energy efficiency. If you enjoy the aesthetic of a clay tile roof, then chat with a trusted roofer about this roofing option.
Asphalt Roofing
Asphalt roofs come with a shorter life span, but are a more affordable roofing option. They unfortunately aren’t very energy efficient, but technological advances can increase your asphalt roof energy efficiency levels. Coatings and mineral granules are two options to chat with your roofer about.
Solar Roofing Shingles
Solar roofing shingles are an excellent way to ensure ultimate energy efficiency, but they do come at a cost. They effectively cover your roof with small solar panels, transforming your roof into an alternative energy source. They offer a sleek aesthetic and last up to 35 years. Solar roofing shingles are a sure way to stand out as an energy-conscious South Florida resident.
Does Roof Color Matter?
It’s well known that lighter colors reflect more heat than darker colors. Although a white roof will provide the highest level of energy efficiency, not everyone desires to have a white roof. Luckily, lighter colors still offer good heat reflection, and as we’ve seen, even darker roofing now comes with energy-efficient technology. Chat with your roofing contractor about the best color roof for your needs.
South Florida Residential Roofing Solutions
At ABC Roofing Corp, we offer a wide range of energy-efficient roofing options. We’ve been serving the South Florida community for over 30 years, and have become a trusted roofing name in the Tri-County area.
Whether you want to improve the energy efficiency of your current roof, or you’re after an energy-efficient roof replacement, our trusted team of roofing professionals is ready to talk you through the leading options.
Call us at 954-344-4622 to find the best energy-efficient solution for your residential roof.
