Construction companies spend a lot of their time digging and building the foundation for a new house or building, which makes sense considering the importance of it. One of the areas more and more construction companies and general contracting services alike are spending more time on recently is in the selection and overall roof replacement. It’s the area that will be most exposed to the elements and new advances in technology have made it possible to actually increase a building energy efficiency, depending on the roofing solutions construction companies choose to use. Here are the three main different types of roofing materials today.
1.) Conventional: Conventional materials are what you would normally think of when you picture a roof. Asphalt, concrete, and wood just to name a few. Conventional roofing materials reflect only 5 to 15%, which means they absorb 85 to 95% of the energy and heat from the sun. While it’s generally cheaper in the short-term, if saving money and energy on utilities in the long-term is a concern to you this is not the route to go anymore.
2.) Cooling: Cooling roof material is a somewhat new product in the market. The coolest roofing materials reflect More than 65% of sunlight and heat can be reflected by the coolest of roofing materials. Also, some can absorb 35% or less of the energy from the sun. Cool-colored metal roofing also contains pigments that reflect 20 to 90% of heat and sunlight. If you’re looking for real-life results, the installation of reflective metal roofing can save your home up to 40% in summer cooling energy costs while highly emissive metal roofs can reduce urban air temperatures by as much as 12 degrees Fahrenheit.
3.) Solar: Solar panel roofing has become more popular even on residential homes over the last couple years, and for good reason. Installing solar panels can decrease your household?s carbon footprint by an average of 35,180 pounds of carbon dioxide per year and directly save the consumer an average of $84 per month on electricity bills. Take into account that the price of solar panels has dropped by 60% since 2011 and they make for a great option.
No matter what kind of roof you choose whether it be for a business or residential home, be sure it is installed properly. A shoddy roof installation can greatly reduce its life expectancy, regardless of what type.