Have you ever traveled from the suburbs or a rural area into an urban area in summer and found it much more unbearably hot? That’s because trees and shrubs in rural and suburban areas keep the temperature better regulated.
Urban areas are filled with plenty of concrete, large buildings, and very little vegetation making it warmer than open areas like the suburbs. Did you know that commercial buildings play a role in this? It’s called the heat island effect and here’s a look into how it happens and how a cool roof works to combat it.
Vast, dark, rooftops and commercial building materials absorb enormous amounts of heat, making the surrounding area much hotter than usual.
If your building doesn’t have a cool roof, you could miss out on significant benefits.
A cool roof system can help minimize your company’s environmental footprint, reducing the heat in the surrounding area. Keep reading to learn more about cool roofs.
What is a Cool Roof?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “A cool roof is designed to reflect more sunlight than a conventional roof, absorbing less solar energy.” Roofs with darker, dense materials tend to absorb sunlight, heating the roofs of industrial buildings. This contributes to heat islands in the local area and can also drive up the cost of energy bills.
A cool roof is a lighter colored roof installed on a commercial building to help prevent heat absorption. This will help reduce heat islands and help keep commercial buildings cooler without heavily relying on HVAC systems.
How a Cool Roof Works
Cool roofing materials are typically lighter in color and reflect the sun’s light, heat, and UV rays away from the building. Typical cool roofs for commercial buildings include metal, concrete tiles, slate, and EPDM roofing membranes. An additional coating applied to these roofing materials may help combat thermal heat by deflecting the sun’s rays.
Should Your Company Get a Cool Roof?
If it’s time for a roof replacement or a new roof installation, a Duro-Last cool roof will change your building both inside and out. According to information on the Energy Star website, a white cool roof will deflect 80 percent of the sun’s rays, making a building about 50 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. Duro-Last reflects up to 88% for better cooling loads and energy cost.
On the other hand, a gray cool roof only deflects about 20 percent of the sun’s rays and cools the building substantially less than white-colored roofs. If you’re concerned about lower energy costs, installing light roofing material that deflects the sun’s rays and keeps the building cooler is ideal.
Also, your business may qualify for state incentives for installing a cool roof, which can help you save on upfront costs associated with a cool roof.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a cool roof extend the life of my roof?
Yes, a cool roof, especially a Duro-Last cool roof, can extend its life because you won’t have to maintain it as often as darker, more dense roofing options. When too much heat is absorbed by your roof, this can cause significant damage to the roof, which requires constant maintenance. A cool roof absorbs less heat and is less likely to cause damage requiring extraordinary maintenance.
Will a cool roof help me save money?
Yes, a few different ways. Since you may not need as much maintenance, a cool roof can help you save money. In addition to saving on roof maintenance costs, your cool roof will substantially reduce the building’s heat absorption which will lower energy costs, particularly when cooling the building.
Are a cool roof and a green roof the same?
No. They aren’t quite the same, but a green roof can help keep a roof cool. A green roof is a roof with vegetation on it. The vegetation helps absorb the sun’s heat and keeps the roof cool by reducing the heat island effect. However, cool roofs are materials designed to keep the roof cool.
Interested in a Cool Roof System for Efficiency from the Top-Down?
MacDermott Roofing located in Metro Detroit provides reliable and trusted commercial roofing services including cool roof installations by Duro-Last. Our industry expertise is backed by more than 50 years of product knowledge, experience and skill in new roof installations and repair as well as mechanical support and roof maintenance. Protect your building from the top-down and call to schedule a commercial roof inspection before the summer heat rolls in!