Metal roofs are all energy-efficient. Hence, no matter the type of metal you choose, they all have reflective and emissive capacities that lead to the energy-saving benefits of metal roofs, helping the roof absorb less heat and cool down during the day. However, other options can help you enhance the energy efficiency of your metal roofing and increase your savings over time.
The energy-efficient characteristics of metal roofs help reduce energy costs and improve their lifespan, ensuring that you get metal roofing solutions for long-lasting protection regardless of the metal type you choose. When your roof reflects more heat, it minimizes the stress caused by thermal contraction and expansion, preventing cracks, premature aging, and leaks over time.
Hence, helping your roof increase its natural reflective capacities will let you enjoy the benefits of metal roofing for years without worrying about premature replacements or frequent repairs. To do so, you can consider the color of your new metal roof and how it impacts its energy-efficient performance.
Metal roofing meets all the minimum requirements for an energy-efficient roof: reflectivity, thermal emittance, emissivity, and adequate ventilation flows. These characteristics allow the durable and stylish metal roofing options available to reduce indoor temperatures and the strain on HVAC units.
Reflectivity is the capacity of the roof to reflect the heat and sunlight to the atmosphere, reducing the heat trapped in the roofing material. Some roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles, have very poor reflective properties, absorbing heat like a sponge. Though there are modern shingles with reflective coatings, their capacities still don’t compare to the energy-saving benefits of metal roofs, which can reflect up to 70% of the sun’s energy.
The ventilation system is essential to ensure your roof lasts and your property can enhance its energy consumption on AC units. It allows the hot air to escape from the building while promoting cool air flowing in.
Another one of the benefits of metal roofing is that most systems can be installed on battens. This creates an air gap between the deck and metal panels, which promotes ventilation and air circulation and prevents heat from accumulating in the attic and ceiling areas. Unlike metal roofing, asphalt shingles are mostly installed directly on the roof decking, leaving no room for air to circulate beneath the roof and trapping the heat.
However, some roof designs don’t allow batten installation. If this is the case, you can find metal roofing solutions for long-lasting protection engineered to allow for airspace even when installed on the deck, so you can still increase the roof ventilation.
Metal roofing has a high thermal emittance capacity due to its unique atomic structure, which gives it remarkable thermal conductivity compared to other materials. This high thermal conductivity quickly spreads the heat the roof absorbs across its surface and emits it back into the atmosphere, cooling it down and leading to the well-known energy-saving benefits of metal roofs.
Choosing between a painted metal roof and a plain one is more than a matter of style. It can have a significant impact on your roof’s energy efficiency. Though unpainted metal roofs have inherent reflective capacities, they don’t compare to those with painted finishes. Hence, consider the reflective properties of the colors when looking for durable and stylish metal roofing options and go for the most energy-efficient color for your project.
Light colors are the best choice for reaping the most energy-efficient benefits of metal roofing. Light colors such as whites, beiges, and greys are known for their high reflective capacities and low heat absorption, reducing the heat that enters the roof and the strain on cooling air units during summer.
Blues and green hues are also popular choices to increase the energy-saving benefits of metal roofs. They have remarkable reflective and emissive properties and are more noticeable and visually appealing than white hues, blending well with the natural surroundings of your property. Hence, you can get energy-efficient roofs with cool colors without sacrificing style and curb appeal.
While lighter colors are the most energy-efficient options for metal roofing, some dark colors, such as sandstone, light stone, or mocha, can still be options if they have high reflective and emissive values. Likewise, if the black panels are enhanced with reflective pigments, they will still reflect high amounts of heat. Thus, if you’re not a fan of colors, you can still get energy-efficient metal roofing solutions for long-lasting protection.
Metal roofs’ reflective and emissive properties can help you save on energy bills over time. However, they are worthless if you hire unqualified contractors to install them. If your roofers do poor work, your roof won’t have room beneath the deck to promote air circulation and reduce heat absorption, or they may scratch your paint and leave the metal exposed to corrosion and sunlight. This way, you won’t get metal roofing solutions for long-lasting protection.
Prevent these problems and ensure a quality metal roofing installation with Advanced Building & Roofing. Over the years, our thorough attention to detail and timely turnaround have set us apart from other roofers in North Carolina, and our satisfied clients are proof of our unmatched professionalism.
Call us at (252) 717-7176 to enjoy all the benefits of metal roofing today!
