Cool Roofs for the July and August Atlanta Summer

For most people, July and August in Atlanta are spent finding ways to beat the heat. When the temperatures regularly climb towards 100 degrees, city-wide power outages aren't uncommon, as all the air conditioner units work overtime to cool homes.

Making your home as energy efficient as possible can help you retain some of that hard-earned cool air. Most homeowners know this, and have checked their windows and doors to see if cool air is escaping through cracks or poor insulation. It's fairly common for people to know that if they block the sun's strong daytime rays with curtains or blinds, their interior temperature will stay a bit cooler. Few, however, consider their roofs when thinking about energy efficiency.

An experienced roofing company can tell you, the roofing industry has been moving full steam ahead for the past forty or so years, as they try to find ways to make roofing materials that will better serve people's needs. One of the ways they've achieved success is with their more energy efficient roofs, called cool roofs. Most common across the Southern and Western United States, these cool roofs actually do help in keeping a home's temperature consistently cooler than homes with regular roofs.

What are the Major Benefits of a Cool Roof?
If you're building a home, or considering reroofing your current home, a cool roof is definitely an upgrade worth considering. Composed of certain materials that cause the sun's light and heat to be reflected instead of absorbed, the temperature on a cool roof is often 50-60 degrees cooler than a regular roof. This is a significant difference, and one that will not only improve the comfort of people living in the house, but will also provide other benefits. The life of the roof itself is often extended, meaning less heat and weather related repairs, as well as a few extra years before it becomes necessary to re-roof.

For many homeowners, the best reason to have their roofers install a cool roof is a monetary one. Throughout their life cycle, cool roofs will continue to save the homeowners money. Knowledgeable Atlanta roofers fewer maintenance issues, a longer life, and reduced cooling bills can add up to significant savings.

How are Cool Roofs Constructed?
There are several ways that a cool roof differs from a regular roof in its construction. First, the materials that make up the roof are often different. The most common type of roofing material is asphalt shingles, which is not the best option for a cool roof. Roofing contractors have two major considerations when installing a cool roof: reflectivity and emissivity.
- Reflectivity is best established by using materials that are light colored or white, since those colors allow the sun's hot rays to bounce off of them.
- Emissivity, the ability of a material to emit infrared energy rather than absorb it, is usually best accomplished using non-metal materials. Unfortunately not all roofers are properly educated in how to ventilate property.

In cities with as much summer heat as Atlanta, cool roofs are certainly worth considering, and could pay off for years to come.