Key Takeaways
When you consider how a building keeps nerveless , the most vulgar thing that hail to mind isair conditioning . But the first real line of defense against the heat is a building ’s roof . And a hot sidereal day in the life story of a skilful roof should include releasing – not storing and absorbing – the sun ’s rays .
Think of it this way : If you ’re sit on a chair covered in blackened material and you go to the kitchen for a cup of coffee , your chair will belike be warm when you get up – and it will stay warm until you return . But if your chairwoman is metal , clay , mold plastic or slating , for deterrent example , it might be slightly warm to the skin senses when you get up , but it will be solely chill by the time you yield . Traditional shingle roofing materials hold and transfer heat in a interchangeable way . Roofing tiles made of felt - like material overlaid with asphalt and tar will hold in passion , and even transmit it downward into a structure , while other types of roofing will reflect light and wake upward and away from a construction alternatively .
Roofing materials and colour impact how buildings – and even entire cities – handle warming and cooling system . United States Energy Secretary Stephen Chu even suggested that painting all ceiling and roads bloodless or light - colored could reduce the electricity costs of unravel air conditioning by 10 to 15 percent [ source : Connor ] . Is it that mere ?
Before grabbing a run and a can of patio furniture paint and exterior fuzee , see what roofing materials and techniques – from the traditional to the gamy - tech – have proven to work well in warm climates .
10: Overlays and Radiant Barriers
Using an umbrella or a spacious - brimmed drinking straw hat on a hot day at the beach helps keep thesunat bay . Technology is bringing cover - ups to roof as well . These cool - roof coatings have advanced in recent age , and more developments are afoot . Elastomeric sealants , foam sprays , ceramic - based key and even " recycled wastecooking oil " treatments are making gains in providing way to cool survive roofs by apply coats of overlay that reflect heat away [ source : Raloff ] . Built Up Roofing ( BUR ) is one method for applying cool - roof surface coating over traditional mineral pitch or tar roofing . Different claims regarding easiness of software , lastingness and energy rescue vary by manufacturer , but researching cool - roof overlays or coating and consulting with a local roofing declarer and local building codes can help in sorting through what ’s working well in dissimilar regions .
A applied science on the flipside of an overlay is a roof underpinning , or sub - roof organization bid a radiant barrier . This under - the - cap program program involves installing a pondering cloth , such as atomic number 13 , or even a specialised ruminative spray treatment that ’s installed into an dome or blank between a place ’s Interior Department and the roof . These routine as barriers to keep heat up and out of a home . Costs vary from about 15 to 75 cent per straightforward understructure , but those with added insulating feature can cost more [ source : National Association of Home Builders ] . But with a potential savings of about $ 200 per annum ( depending on the region ) , the facility fee may be worth the price [ generator : Oak Ridge National Laboratory ] .
9: Slate Tile
Roofingwithslatetiles is a hundred - honest-to-goodness European custom that made its way to the Americas in the early 17th one C [ author : Sweetser ] . Slate is durable and beautiful , with a natural color range , and it lasts a recollective time with little maintenance . brightness discolour and earth - toned slate helper in reduce the heat absorbed by a construction because it has innate reflective properties . It also wears to a courteous finish over time .
Some downsides to using slate are its upscale price and heavy weightiness . While slate is among the most beautiful roofing discussion , especially in re - create Mediterranean and Spanish architecture styles , it is costly and severe to transport than lighter , less breakable materials . Its extensive use worldwide is due to its popularity as a cool roofing material for hot climates and its widespread availability . In areas without raw slating reserves , it is an expensive pick . rescued or salvage slate is uncommitted in some areas , but installation and transport cost still add up .
8: Terra Cotta and Clay
Most region of Spain , Mexico , Italy and the American Southwest have loads of rut and fair weather , and an teemingness of Mission- or Spanish - style terra cotta roofs . Some ancient site have Lucius DuBignon Clay and terra cotta tiles that have survived the test of time and unrelenting C bake in thesun . Basic clayroofingis light in colour and does n’t hold back as much heat as a darker ceiling . Modern clay tiles have paint treatment to make them appear like more expensive slate or traditional terra cotta and to add weatherproofing and broody capability .
Traditional rust or sienna - colored terra cotta tile keep buildings nerveless through their bod as much as their penning . Terra cotta tiles go through a baking appendage in ovens , or kilns , which makes them harder and less porous in terms of holding portion of warmth . Most often they ’re regulate into a half - drum or " S " shape , forming interlocking arch across a roof . outer space beneath the archway of each tile leave for air and water circulation and overspill , which prevents heat capture and keeps the home below tank .
Many clay and terra cotta roof sit on top of concrete and stucco home , and with good reason . These textile are heavy and call for self-coloured foundations for load bearing and wind and temblor resistance . Another retainer with terra cotta roofing is that cold and wet weather often make tiles crack . new process and treatments prevent this from materialize , but checking for lastingness and temperature electrical resistance is a upright idea .
7: Cool Color Concrete Tile
Less expensive thanslateand clay in most face , but more costly than traditional shingles , concretetile is an alternative for tender conditions enduringness . Concrete is heavy and take a long clip to heat , make it a good stuff for ardent weather roofing [ source : Urban and Roth ] . Using poured concrete slab roofing is a small - monetary value option in many developing country , as it provides protection from bad weather condition and pests . It does the same in more developed countries , acting as a barrier layer underneath more decorative roof intervention .
In its roofing tile word form , concrete is still operose but is sluttish to instal than the swarm concrete . It is fireproof and firm , though porous enough to take in color when dye . Using specialized " cool colour " will increase the energy efficiency of concrete tiling by reflect more of the sunlight ’s rays than a cap discussion in stock dark colors [ rootage : Levinson ] .
Sand , water and cementum make up concrete tiling , but the baking process toughens the fabric so it can withstand rain , heat and breaking wind . Some concrete tile roofs in Europe and elsewhere have pass by the 150 - year - one-time mark and still underwrite and cool as originally designed ( origin : National Park Service ) .
Installers of concrete roofing tile should consult minimal code requirements for environmental conditions by region . In Florida , for illustration , secure tiles to encounter hurricane - forcefulness wind immunity requirements postulate some extra steps and care . " Batten down the hatches , " as they say .
6: Green/Living roofs
Concentrations of drear mineral pitch roofs , parking oodles and roadway in obtuse sphere , especially in large cities , create a negative environmental core shout a " heating island effect " or " urban heat island effect . " oestrus dowse into these areas because of the dark materials that hold vim throughout the day and nighttime .
Painting rooftops and roads white is one whole step toward reducing the amount of electrical energy and time need to cool down these urban hot spots , but another idea is to green the spaces from the top down . Green or livelihood roof incorporate a rainproof tissue layer filled with soil and vegetation intended to cool off naturally through soil temperature and growth of verdure . Roofs made of keep plants also releaseoxygeninto the line , take a shit it less toxic and harmful than row upon row of petroleum - based zoster atop paved streets . Water overflow also serves to cool the buildings , and the entire system protects the cornerstone roofing underneath , adding to roof length of service .
Higher costs and lack of expertise and visual modality are probable to slow the growth of gullible roofing . Greenery topped building have been keep edifice coolheaded for decades in modern Europe , and Germany is the first and only country to publish a green roofing guide [ reservoir : Miller ] . But implement the techniques on a large weighing machine is years away .
5: Solar/Photovoltaic Systems
Reflecting oestrus back up into the aviation is one thing , but take hold the high temperature for use as alternative energy is quite another . If you want to lay in up heat but not have it lay in up in your home or office , a photovoltaic arrangement is deserving looking into . Photovoltaic or PV cap zoster capture and redirectsolar powerinto electrical energy . Solar electric panels and shingles come in traditional shingle shapes and size , so bring this energy - efficient technology is not an aesthetic sacrifice as much as some of the older , bulkier rooftop panels of past decades .
Cost and localization , however , are big factors . function of photovoltaic shingles and sheets will eventually lead to lower Price and increased performance , but use is n’t widespread yet . set forth - up investment in product and installing is high . Having a sufficiently sunny locale is more of a lasting issue , as peak saving and solar energy power capacity depend on per capita sunny days . clip will tell whether metropolis like London and Seattle , for illustration , will expend the solar harnessing technology as much as Phoenix or Athens , Greece .
4: “Rubber” Membrane Roofing
Wearing arubberraincoat or coxa server in raging atmospheric condition sounds about as cool as a raging black synthetic rubber weather sheet baking in thesunall day . A rubber roof for strong climates ? Really ? While not technically a " rubber " roof , this undivided - ply , whitened , rubber - like membrane roofing is a coolheaded applied science . It ’s made of strong , weather - resistant thermoplastic or a synthetic rubber called EPDM ( ethylene propylene diene Monomer ) . EPDM is a common cap cake in commercial-grade construction praised for its foresighted habiliment , and it ’s a thermoset , a pre - molded or " fixed " safe - like material . EPDM make out in rolls or sheet for cover large areas speedily .
Thermoplastic coverings also are very atmospheric condition - cogent evidence and wear - resistant with white - nerveless ruminative coat options , but unlike thermoset , they ’re more malleable and can be reset with heat for roofing a more sloped surface .
Both eccentric of tissue layer roofing are lightweight , very durable and contemplative , keeping sun from absorbing into structures . With an almost unlined software , they also attend as rainproof roadblock to protect the surface underneath and are upright innovation layers for green roofing .
3: White Barrel “S” Tile
ceiling testing by the Florida Power & Light Company in the hot , sunny and humid conditions of Florida shows that white s - shaped tile made fromconcreteare very effective at keeping heat from thesunout of homes . They reflect about 74 percent of the sun ’s vitality away from the roof [ beginning : Better Homes and Gardens ] .
White cask " mho " tiles resemble traditional terra cotta innovation and postulate similar installation techniques , and they take advantage of the same raised arch aim , which countenance for air circulation . S - shaped concrete tiles in brilliant blank reflect more solar ray than traditional terra cotta , though , by about 40 pct [ source : Better Homes and Gardens ] .
2: White Flat Tile
Another roofing material well - fit to warm mood is flatconcretetiling , and as mentioned originally , it ’s uncommitted in nerveless colors . A stopping point , but lighter - weight version is the promising white flat roofing tile made ofceramic , elastomeric stuff or combinations of fibers and cementum . These white bland tiles rank high in examination as both very heat - reflective and long persistent . Flat white cement tiles reflect as much as 77 percentage of the sunshine ’s rays [ source : Better Homes and Gardens ] . As with the white barrel type , clean categorical tiles keep estrus from filtering down into buildings .
Some upkeep descend with white roofing , as with most roof type , and business leader - lavation help to keep the aerofoil from becoming dingy and losing its reflective edge over more traditional shingles .
1: White Metal Roofing
In terminus of reflectance , white metalroofingactually does n’t do as well as livid plane and ashen bbl tiles . It reflect about 66 percent of the sunshine ’s push forth from a roof . But ashen metal roofing does have one edge : Compared to other roofing types , it cools faster at night , and holds less heat for inadequate periods [ author : Better Homes and Gardens ] .
Most metallic element roofing will cost 20 to 30 percent more than traditional roofing , but in push savings , durability and lowered maintenance , it is a price saver overall [ source : Metal Roofing Alliance ] . for maximize the benefits of metallic element roofing in warm climates , however , treatments and installation are major factors . Most metallic element roof are steel and aluminum , with copper options more on the high conclusion , and most type should be treated for corroding impedance . They also necessitate to come across minimum code standards for wind opposition and placement . If installed at an slant without slope planning and glare considerations , no matter how cool the white metal cap is , it wo n’t be coolheaded to nearby residents and number one wood who get blinded by the reflected light source .
