What is a Cool Roof System?

Find Out About Cool Roofs

When it comes to your roofing system, proper protection and conditions should be maintained. With all of the many innovations available with roofing, a cool roof is one many choose to have due to their energy efficiency and protection from the damaging effects of the sun. Make sure to get in touch with a professional roofing company to see what type of cool roof system can be implemented for the betterment of your property. Until then, here is some general background information regarding cool roofs that may give you an idea of how they work.

What is a cool roof?

A cool roof is a system of roofing that provides higher solar reflectance which means it can reflect the sun’s visible, ultraviolet (UV,) and infrared wavelengths. A cool roof is designed to have higher thermal emittance which means it can radiate absorbed or non-reflected solar energy. Durability and longevity of the roof will also be enhanced. Finally, it can also reduce both the urban heat island effect as well as building cooling loads.

What is a cool roof made of?

A cool roof can be made from a number of roofing materials, highly reflective paint or sheet coverings. Materials can range from metal, slate and more while cool roof coatings can match with sloped and flat roofs.

What is the most energy efficient roofing material?

The roofing materials with the highest energy efficiency and cool roof abilities are considered to be green roofs, metal roofing, slate or clay (with roof coatings,) sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF), and thermoplastic olefin/polyolefin (TPO).

How do I keep my roof cool?

You may be able to make efforts of having a cool roof by painting your roof white or incorporating a roof garden. Adding white paint can have higher reflectance while a roof garden (otherwise known as a green roof) will shade the roof from direct sunlight while the soil absorbs the heat. You may install solar panels, which will capture the sun’s energy and instead convert it into electricity.

What is cool roof paint?

Cool roof coatings are typically white or have special reflective pigments that will be able to reflect the light like UV rays They are thick in consistency and some may offer restorative features, chemical and water protection. Roof coatings are made to work with a number of different roofing materials so depending on the type of roof that you have there will be a roof coating that will match it.

Does cool roof paint work?

Cool roof coatings or paint will be able to elongate a roof’s life by 10 years and can be reapplied until the roof reaches the end of it’s natural life expectancy.

What color roof is the coolest?

Standard cool roof designs are historically lighter in color yet certain roofing products allow for darker hues to have qualified levels of solar reflectivity. In general, with any roofing material, light colors are better at reflecting heat while darker surfaces absorb heat more. According to the Berkeley Lab, a dark gray roof can reflect solar heat at about 20% while white colors can reflect it about 55%.

What is a good solar reflectance index?

A solar reflective index (SRI) will measure a roof’s ability to reject solar heat. A good measurement as seen with a standard white roof will have a reflectance of 0.80 and an emittance of 0.90 which will give it a score of 100. A black standard roof in comparison will only have a reflectance of 0.05 with an emittance of 0.90 which gives it a final score of 0.

What are the benefits of a cool roof?

• Lower local air temperatures (otherwise referred to as the urban heat island effect.)
• Lower peak electricity demand, which can assist in preventing power outages.
• Reduce power plant emissions, including sulfur dioxide, mercury, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxides by reducing cooling energy use in buildings.