4 Reasons A Metal Roof Will Effectively Cool Your Home
Posted on: 24 July 2015
When it comes to clothing, many people realize how dark colors can absorb heat and light colors help reflect it. However, they may not realize that this same logic applies to a roof. Here are some ways that a metal roof can keep your home cool throughout the summer.
Metal Can Reduce Heat Absorption With Light Colors
Those dark colored asphalt shingles may look great, but they are going to absorb the heat and make your home warmer. Just like in the clothing example, the nature of the silver metal roofing material will cause it to reflect the heat away from your home.
Metal Can Reflect Heat With Pigment
If you do prefer a roof that is a darker color, it's still possible with a metal roof coated in reflective pigment. These pigments work because of how heat is transmitted through the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared solar spectrum. Pigments reflect light, which both displays color to the human eye and can reduce the amount of heat transferred to your roof through its infrared properties.
Metal Can Absorb Less Heat Due To Its Smaller Thermal Mass
The thicker an object is, the more heat it can absorb. This is especially true when it comes to roofing material. Thick asphalt shingles can easily absorb the sun's heat, and then release it into your house.
Thankfully, metal roofing is thin and does not have much mass. It may get hot when you touch the material, but the thinness of the material allows it to cool off quickly. Some clouds that pass over your house will cool off a metal roof quickly when compared to asphalt shingles.
Metal Does Not Transfer Heat Directly
Metal roofing is installed in such a way that it doesn't lie directly on the roof sheathing. An air pocket is created between both surfaces to help insulate your house. Since asphalt shingles need to be secured directly against the roof, it allows heat to transfer directly from the shingles to the roof's sheathing.
Anything that you can do to improve your home's energy efficiency is going to result in lower energy bills over the years. Metal roofing might be more expensive to have installed, but you could see it eventually pay off by reducing the use of your air conditioner. Schedule a consultation with a professional roofer, like those at JD Metals, to see how much metal roofing will cost for your home.
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