Summertime temperatures are soaring in some regions, leaving homeowners shelling out to pay exorbitant power bills in their efforts to keep cool.
What many may not realize is that their roof has much to do with the energy efficiency of their home.
When the time comes to have roofer services install a new one, consider these ways that different roof features can help to keep a home cooler in extremely hot climates.
Discuss them with an experienced roofing contractor, then make the necessary changes to have a cooler home and a lower power bill.
- Roof Color - When choosing material colors to have installed by a roofer repair service, remember that lighter colors reflect UV sun rays while darker colors absorb them. In hotter climates, consider lighter colors and shades as opposed to traditional black and dark gray if possible.
- Insulation and Ventilation - To prevent heat from building up inside the attic then penetrating into the living space, homeowners should invest in high-quality insulation, both under the decking and on the attic floor. In conjunction, roofer services should ensure there is enough attic ventilation to reduce heat buildup and work collectively with the insulation to contain heat to the attic where it can escape through the ventilation system.
- Energy-Efficient Roofing - Choose energy-efficient roofing like premium shingles with high R-values, metal roofing, tile, and other cooler materials. Roofing contractors have access to many newer, energy-efficient products today.
- Cool Roof Coatings - An option for existing roofs is to have roofer repair services apply a cool roof reflective coating that will increase the R-value of the roofing and reduce heat absorption into the attic.
- Roof Pitch - A final consideration for homeowners building new construction or willing to invest in a structural remedy to reduce the amount of heat absorbed by their roof is increasing the roof pitch. Roofs with steeper pitches that only receive direct sunlight part of the time are more energy-efficient than lower-slope or flat roofs that receive more direct sunlight.
As the monthly utility bills climb, homeowners can turn to their roofer service to discuss energy efficiency and how their roofing installations can affect it.
Investing in one or more of these solutions can make a home much more comfortable in the summer by reducing the amount of UV heat that gets into the house.
Knowledgeable roofing contractors advise that the extra investment into energy-efficient roofing will pay for itself many times over in the form of lower summer utility bills.