When you get a new asphalt shingle roof put on, talk to your roofer about cool roof options. Cool roofing keeps your home cooler in the summer so you're more comfortable in your home and so your energy bills are lower. Here's how cool roofing shingles work.
Cool Asphalt Shingles Reflect The Sun
Some types of roofing are naturally cool. This includes white commercial roofs and white metal roofs. Shingles are usually a dark color, so they're not cool roofing materials unless you buy shingles specifically made to reflect the sun.
Otherwise, the dark color of the shingles holds heat and makes your roof and attic hotter. That heat can sink in your home and cause your AC to run more to keep you cool.
Asphalt shingles come with a coating of granules. These granules are necessary to protect the shingles from UV exposure and help them have a longer life.
In the case of cool roof shingles, the granules are made of materials that reflect sunlight. This reduces the amount of heat absorbed by the roof while allowing you to choose any color you want for the shingles, even a dark color.
Cool Roofing Is Energy Star Rated
Your roofer can help you choose the right cool roofing for your home. By looking for the Energy Star label, you'll know if you're getting cool roof shingles. Cool roofing protects against heat in two ways: solar reflectance and emissivity.
Solar reflectance keeps your home cooler by reflecting the sun's warming rays. Emissivity is a measure of how well your roof can release heat. If your roofing material has high solar reflectance and high emissivity, the roof and your home under it should stay much cooler.
To achieve an Energy Star rating, asphalt shingles need to have high reflectance when newly installed and also test for high reflectance after a period of years, so you'll have some assurance the cool roof will perform well as the roof ages.
The Summer Benefit Outweighs The Winter Loss
Your roofer can help you decide if a cool roof is right for your area and your circumstances. Because the shingles reduce solar warming in your home, there will probably be less warming in the winter too.
Your roofer will help you determine if the benefit you get from a cool roof in the summer outweighs the warming loss you may experience in the winter months. If a cool roof is right for your home, you might be able to start your AC later and turn it off earlier and still stay comfortable in your home.
Plus, you may even notice a lower energy bill in the summer if your air conditioner doesn't have to run as much to keep your home comfortable.
For more information on roofing, reach out to a local roofer.
