A leaky roof, broken tile, missing shingles or cracked flashing all bring about the same result: a harried homeowner calculating whether or not it's time for a new roof. When it is time for a reroofing job, it's important to consider using roofing materials that will make the home more energy efficient.



New Roofs are Energy Efficient:

The benefits of making a home more energy efficient are long-lasting and far-reaching. First of all, a home that's been reroofed to become more energy efficient will be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, which translates to savings on heating and cooling bills. The immediate benefits to the homeowner are a more comfortable living space and reduced bills. With the house retaining a more comfortable temperature, less electricity is used. Since the majority of electricity in the U.S. is created by burning fossil fuels, which leads to air pollution, using less electricity in the house will reduce the amount of pollution, which is a global benefit.

Impact on Urban Areas:

In urban environments, there's an additional benefit. Air in urban areas can be six to eight degrees hotter than air in outlying areas, a phenomenon which is known as "urban heat islands." In these "heat islands," the effects of pollutions increase as people work their air conditioning units that much more to reach their preferred temperature. Reroofing to become more energy efficient in an urban area is a step towards reducing the "urban heat island."

Increasing a Home's Value:

Reroofing also increases a home's value, and is something that buyers generally consider a huge plus. By collaborating with the roofing company to ensure the new roof is energy efficient, potential buyers will be pleased that the roof is in good shape as well as that they'll reap the benefits of this eco-conscious choice. When reroofing is done with energy efficiency in mind, it even extends the life of the roof because it is not forced to expand and contract as much due to temperature changes.

Choosing Your Materials:

There are many products that can help turn a reroofing job into an energy makeover, and all roofing contractors should be able to suggest which ones will be best for a specific home. For example, if asked an Atlanta, GA roofing company is likely to explain that solar reflectivity and emissivity are extremely important in the process of an energy efficient reroofing. Emissivity refers to how easily a material releases absorbed heat, which, for reroofing, means that materials with high emissivity are desirable if you live in a warmer climate. If the roofing material easily releases absorbed heat, air conditioners won't have to work as hard to cool the house down. Alternately, in a colder climate, lower emissivity materials will help to reduce heating costs by holding in some of the heat absorbed form the sun.

During the materials selection process for an Atlanta reroofing job, your local Atlanta roofing contractor will also consider solar reflectivity. Materials that are very highly reflective will be much more efficient in reflecting sunlight away, thereby drawing less heat to the roof. When roofing contractors choose to use reflective materials, cooling costs can be decreased by about 10-15 percent. Adequate roof insulation is also important, and is an area that roofing companies regularly address.