The shift towards eco-friendly living isn’t just a trend. Improving your home’s energy efficiency and reducing its overall carbon footprint has practical benefits, like lower heating and cooling costs as well as better indoor comfort.
If you’re considering going green, we recommend starting with your roof, your home’s first line of defense against the elements. There are several energy-efficient roofing options, but metal roofing arguably offers the most practical benefits for homeowners.
Roof Recovery, your trusted roofing contractor, elaborates on the advantages of installing metal roofing below:
Metal Roofing’s Eco-Friendly Qualities
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Excellent energy efficiency – Metal roofing reflects heat from the sun instead of absorbing it, lowering the strain on your HVAC system and cooling costs by as much as 25%.
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Exceptional durability – Installing durable roofing systems with long lifespans—metal roofing systems have an average lifespan of 40 to 70 years—can help reduce roofing debris, which accounts for 40% of the construction waste in landfills.
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Zero construction waste – Metal roofing is fully recyclable, so discarded roofing panels won’t end up in landfills.
Increasing Your Metal Roof’s Energy Efficiency
Installing metal roofing can help improve your home’s energy efficiency, but there are ways to increase potential energy savings. Here are some tips:
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Choose light colors – The closer a shade is to white, the more heat it reflects, and the lower the strain on your HVAC system.
Important note: Don’t forget that your roof forms a large part of your home’s curb appeal. That’s why it’s important to choose a color that complements the rest of your exterior. Coordinating colors is a lot trickier than it seems. If you’re having trouble choosing a light color that fits in with your exterior’s color scheme, it would be helpful to consult a roofing contractor.
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Roof coatings – Roof coatings add an extra layer of protection that can help extend your metal or flat roof’s lifespan and, in the long term, reduce the total amount of construction waste that ends up in landfills.
Choosing the Right Type of Roof Coatings
Keep in mind not all types of roof coatings can provide the same level of protection. That’s why it’s important to choose a type of roof coating that can provide adequate protection against your area’s climate.
Here’s an overview of the different types of roof coatings:
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Acrylic coatings – Acrylic roof coatings can provide added protection against UV rays and be applied to a wide variety of roofing membranes, including single-ply roof membrane and metal roofing systems. However, since acrylic coatings can’t withstand ponding water—a common issue for flat roofs—they’re not the best choice for commercial buildings.
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Silicone coatings – Silicone roof coatings are commonly used on flat roofing systems, thanks to their resistance against ponding water and UV rays. They also adhere easily to the surface of the roof.
Important note: Reflective silicone coatings tend to lose their reflectivity over time. That’s why it’s important that a professional roofer routinely reapplies the roof coating to make sure your commercial roof—which is more leak-prone than a sloped residential roof because of its low slope—has adequate protection against the elements.
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Polyurethane coatings – Polyurethane coatings are highly resistant to impact damage and foot traffic.
Choosing the Right Type of Metal Roofing
The same goes for choosing a metal roof replacement: you need to choose a metal roof that can handle your area’s climate. Otherwise, you might need to replace it after a short period of time and inadvertently increase the amount of construction debris that ends up in landfills. Remember: There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all-approach in home improvement projects, and roof replacements are no exception.
To help you get started on the planning phase for your roof replacement, here’s an overview of the materials commonly used in manufacturing metal roof panels:
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Steel – Steel, an alloy made from iron and other elements, is the most affordable metal roofing option. And given that steel is one of the most widely recycled materials, it’s also an excellent green roofing option. There are three primary types of steel used in roofing panels: galvanized steel (the most common form of steel used in roofing panels and is coated with a layer of zinc to prevent corrosion), galvalume steel (is made from zinc and aluminum and provides better surface protection than galvanized steel but is prone to scratches), and weathering steel (used to be only used in heavy steel industries such as bridge construction but has since been used in accent roofs).
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Aluminum – Aluminum is lightweight and rust-resistant, but since it’s a relatively soft metal, it’s not as rigid as steel. Thanks to their resistance against corrosion, aluminum roofs are popular in coastal areas.
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Stainless Steel – Like aluminum, stainless steel is also corrosion-resistant. It’s on the pricey side but is worth the investment if you’re looking for a sturdier alternative to aluminum.
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Zinc – Zinc is a green roofing option that is not only fully recyclable but also requires less energy to process. It’s also exceptionally durable, with some zinc roofs lasting more than 100 years.
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Copper – There are several reasons why copper has been used in manufacturing metal roofs for centuries. For starters, rust- and scratch-resistant copper roofs can last more than 200 years. And unlike other metals, copper’s aesthetic appeal increases as it ages: weathering produces a beautiful verdigris patina on the surface of copper.
What about the disadvantages of installing a copper roof? Copper is more expensive than other metals. However, given its many advantages, they’re well worth the investment. Remember: while it’s important to stay within your budget, you shouldn’t get too preoccupied with the costs. Focus instead on maximizing the returns on your investment (ROIs). For more tips on maximizing your ROIs, consult a professional roofer.
Important note: Keep in mind the overall durability of your metal roof replacement partly depends on the quality of the materials used to manufacture it. You should check if the manufacturer of the roofing panels is recognized by The Metal Construction Association’s Quality Certification Program, which certifies products and manufacturers that meet its stringent performance standards.
Other Essential Features of a Metal Roof
What are the other features that can help extend your roof’s lifespan and reduce construction waste?
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Self-cleaning valleys – Routine maintenance is a must if you want to keep your metal roof in good condition. The sooner roofing issues are detected and roof repair is conducted, the better. Fortunately, there are different ways to reduce your metal roof’s maintenance needs. One of them is to make sure your metal roof has a self-cleaning valley. Unlike a conventional valley system, a self-cleaning valley is resistant to clogs. This helps reduce the risk of leaks and makes sure water and debris that landed on top of your roof are diverted to the drains.
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Ventilation system – Ventilation and energy-efficiency always go hand in hand. The EPA estimates that adequate roof ventilation can help lower your cooling costs by 30 to 40%. But if your roof doesn’t have adequate ventilation, the warm, humid air that can’t exit your home will force your
HVAC system to work overtime to keep indoor temperatures at comfortable levels. Not to mention there’s the risk trapped humid air could create a damp environment that’s the perfect breeding ground for mold, which can easily affect other parts of your home.
To learn more about your green roofing options, you can consult a local roofing contractor. Since they’re familiar with the local climate and building codes, they can make better recommendations.
Roof Recovery, a family-owned company with more than 50 years of combined experience, offers a wide range of professional roofing services, including roof repair and replacement services. To get a free estimate, call us at (916) 675-3848 or fill out this form.
