Guide to Cost Savings from Energy Efficient Roofing

7/5/2019

When evaluating the energy efficiency of your home, don’t forget one of the most influential factors: your roof. In the heat of summer when the sun is blazing, your roof is the hottest part of your home — reaching 50, 75, even 100 degrees hotter than the temperature outside. That heat pouring in from above makes achieving a comfortable home much more difficult and costly. The AC has to work overtime to counteract the increased temps and un-air-conditioned spaces, like a garage or patio, become impossible to enjoy.

Whether you’re building a home, replacing an old roof, or updating your current one, choosing the right material for your roofing project can make a big difference in both comfort and cost savings.

What is an energy efficient roof?

Over 90% of the roofs in the United States are dark-colored, causing them to absorb much of the sun’s heat. An energy efficient, or “cool roof,” is often light in color and has been specifically designed to have high solar reflectance. That means it reflects a much greater percentage of the sun’s light that a regular roof would absorb.

Standard Asphalt Roofs reflect less than 20% of direct sunlight.
Cool Roofs reflect an average of 67% of direct sunlight.

An energy efficient roof might only be 5 – 10 degrees hotter (instead of 50 – 100) than the outside temperature, making it easier to achieve a comfortable temperature inside your home. With an energy efficient roof, you can:

• Save on cooling costs by reducing the reliance on AC

• Make your home greener by lowering energy use

• Improve the comfort of your home by reducing the temperature of rooms with and without air conditioning

• Improve the life of your roof by reducing the heat that can accelerate the deterioration of materials

Cost benefits of an energy efficient roof

The biggest savings come from reduced energy spend. Using a full sixth off all energy generated in the U.S., Americans spend about $40 billion annually on air conditioning. EnergyStar certified roof products can reduce peak cooling demand by 10 – 15 percent. To find out how much you can expect to save, check out the Department of Energy’s Cool Roof Calculator.

Beyond cooling costs, choosing an energy efficient roof saves money on roof maintenance caused by continued exposure to extreme heat.

Options for a cooler roof

You’ve decided to go the energy efficient route, so what are your options? Traditionally, energy efficient roofs have been either white or very light in color, but that aesthetic doesn’t fit the vision many owners have for their home. With the development of innovative cool roof products like Landmark Solaris^® and Presidential Solaris^®, you can achieve EnergyStar qualified levels of solar reflectivity even in dark, rich hues.