Energy-Efficient Roof Shingles Explained for Everyone

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Roofs are expensive, and if they’re not energy-efficient, they can add additional costs to homeowners. Non-energy-efficient roofing materials increase your heating bills. Two factors make a residential roof shingles energy-efficient and they’re the material and the color.

Our residential roofing contractors in Greenville, SC, discuss some of the most energy-efficient roofing shingles available in this post.

What Makes a Roof Energy-Efficient in Greenville?

You know how important a good roof is to your well-being. An energy-efficient roof does more than provide shade for you. Whether you want to reduce the heating expense in your house or improve the environment by saving energy throughout the year. To determine the energy efficiency of your roof, consider these two factors.

Solar Reflectance Index (SRI)

The solar reflectance index measures the roof’s ability to reflect the heat from the sun and release any heat absorbed. The higher the SRI number, the better. Roof shingles that fall under the energy star label require a minimum of 25% reflectance rate. Using the right shingle color would help increase your roof’s solar reflectance index.

Ventilation

A well-ventilated building improves the quality of life in the house. Like the lungs, every home needs ventilation to keep on living. One of the important ways to ensure a well-ventilated home is by installing energy-efficient roofing shingles. When a roof is well ventilated, it’s a sign of higher energy efficiency.

Most Energy-Efficient Roof Materials

It’s possible to spend a lot of money on air conditioning and other cooling systems. Your roofing material goes a long way in helping to reduce the cooling expense. There are a lot of roofing materials available, but not all are suitable for your home. Here are the best roofing types for energy efficiency.

Concrete or Tile Roofs

Concrete tiles are one of the most durable roofing materials available. A concrete roof can last as long as 50 years, giving you the best value for money. They come in different styles and colors. This roofing material takes a long time to heat, which means it will take longer for the heat to leave through your roof.

Concrete roofs are energy efficient. During the summer, the heating cost can rise through the roof, but with concrete roofs installed, they can reflect most of the sun’s heat, keeping your rooms cool. Saving you a lot of heating expenses

A concrete roofing system requires minimum maintenance than other roofing materials. This roofing type is solid and hard to damage.

Metal Roof

Metal roofs are an excellent choice for any homeowner in a hot climate. Metal roofs have minimal maintenance, and they’re energy-efficient. Metal roofing materials include galvanized aluminum, copper, zinc, and tin.

Metal roofs are energy efficient because they reflect the sun’s UV rays that contribute to the roof’s surface radiant heat. With metal roofing, roofers create air space between the metal panels and the decking to cool your home. Metal roofing can reduce your cooling costs.

Roofing contractor

Green Roofs

Green roofs are covered in plants and moss, suspended over a protective waterproof membrane. Green roofs provide shade and oxygen for the environment. It likewise removes heat from the air and reduces the roof’s temperature.

Green roofs are one of the best roofing options for homeowners in hot climates because of their energy efficiency. Green roofs act as insulators for the building, reducing the energy needed to provide cooling and heating.

Clay Tiles

Clay tiles have been used throughout history as the most durable roofing material available. They’re primarily a good choice for homeowners who want to reduce their heating costs. Clay tiles are eco-friendly because they’re made from natural materials. They keep your home cool by reflecting the UV sun rays. With climate change troubling our planet, clay tiles roofing doesn’t produce harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Clay tiles are made of water and clay, both natural materials and highly recyclable. The clay tiles don’t release any hazardous chemicals into the environment.

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles are one the most commonly used roofing materials among homeowners throughout the United States. They’re made of fiberglass granules. Asphalt shingles are low maintenance and energy-efficient. When you’re considering buying energy-efficient asphalt shingles, you should look for the ENERGY STAR rate of the shingle. The higher the energy star rating, the better its energy efficiency.

Solar Roof Tiles

The roofing materials in this article focus on reflecting the sun’s UV rays. However, the solar roofing tiles convert the sunlight into a renewable energy source you can use to power your home. Solar roof tiles provide another advantage over conventional solar panels; instead of being installed on existing roofs, they’re the roof itself. Solar roof tiles are energy-efficient, although more expensive than other roofing materials.

Cool Roof Coating

On a sunny day, wearing a light-colored dress helps keep your body cool because it reflects most sun rays than a darker dress. It’s the same with a cool roof coating. Cool roof coatings are white or special reflective paints that reflect sunlight. They’re thick paints applied to the surfaces of the roof to reflect the sun’s UV rays.

Cool roof coating has a lot of benefits for the homeowner, including the following.

  • Reduce energy costs.
  • High solar reflectance index (SRI).
  • Simple and fast application.

Roof Insulation

You should feel warm and comfortable in your house. But if your home is not adequately insulated, you might be losing heat and money. Proper roof insulation prevents excessive heat from entering the house and keeps the house warm.

Roof insulation’s purpose is to reduce the overall loss in the house by adding materials with low heat conductivity between the roof and the attic. There are many types of roofing insulation you can choose from. They include:

  • Spray foam insulation.
  • Rigid insulation boards.
  • Batt insulation.
  • Loose-fill or blown-in insulation

Insulating your roof brings long-lasting comfort and improves your home’s energy efficiency. Insulation also acts as a barrier to heat flow, which helps maintain consistent heat in the house. However, before you choose to insulate your home, consult your local Greenville roofing experts on a suitable material for your roof.

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