Cool Roofs: A Worthwhile Investment

Cool roofs have become a top choice for many homeowners because of their short- and long-term benefits. While they are known for their energy-saving features, they have a lot more to offer. 

Cool Roofs: A Worthwhile Investment

Rapid Roofing, your dependable residential roofing services provider, explains how cool roofs work and why you should make the switch:

How a Cool Roof Works

Cool roofs are similar to wearing light-colored shirts to help you stay cool on a warm day. They are usually white in color to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than standard roofs. This eases the load on your HVAC units, thus reducing your energy costs. This also improves your indoor comfort during hot, sunny days.

Nowadays, you can find cool roofs in a variety of colors, thanks to their special reflective properties. One perfect example is GAF’s Timberline® Cool Series® roofing shingles. As your trusted contractor, we recommend this for your residential roof replacement project.

Cool Roof Properties

To choose the right cool roof for your climate, there are two basic properties you need to consider. These are thermal emittance (TE), which is the roofing material’s ability to release absorbed heat, and solar reflectance (SR), which gauges how much sunlight the material reflects. These are rated on a scale from 0 to 1, where 1 is the most emissive or reflective.

A dark roof typically has low TE and SR ratings because it traps more heat. Not only does it warm up your home and your surrounding air, but it also adds more stress to the roofing system. Some might say that it’s more ideal in colder states like Michigan. Still, days are shorter during winter, and the solar angle is lower. During summer, reflectivity and absorption are more important because the sun is higher, and radiation is hitting the roof. This makes cool roofs a more practical choice.

Advantages of Cool Roofs

There are many reasons why cool roofs are worth the investment. Apart from energy savings, they reduce heat gain, which may extend the roof’s lifespan. Additionally, they enhance comfort in the areas of your home that are not air conditioned like covered patios. They also benefit the environment by minimizing the urban heat island effect.

When it comes to cool roofs, trust Rapid Roofing. As a GAF Master Elite® contractor, we can provide you with quality roofing systems that are backed by strong warranties. We also specialize in skylight installation. Call us at (734) 234-5900 for more information. We serve homeowners in Ann Arbor, MI.