The Advantages and Disadvantages of Cool Roofs
If your house is uncomfortably hot during heatwaves you may like to consider the advantages and disadvantages of installing a ‘cool roof’.
Standard roofs absorb heat, as you will know if you enter your roof space on a hot day. The thermal mass this creates heats your home considerably. Opening windows and doors may help, but if this is not an option, you may reach for an energy-hungry fan or air conditioning unit.
Cool roofs keep your roof and the rest of your home cooler by absorbing less heat. This type of roof is designed to reflect heat from the sun back into the atmosphere and away from your home. The effect is achieved using highly reflective sheets or paint on the slates or tiles of the roof.
Cool roofs may sound like a simple solution, but you must consider a complicated equation of costs and benefits before deciding if one is right for you.
The Advantages of a Cool Roof
A more comfortable home environment
Cool roofs are more comfortable in hot weather. Temperature fluctuations during the day and night will be reduced, and a cooler, stable temperature will become the norm.
Reduction in energy costs
At one time, most of us only saw an air conditioning unit when we went on holiday to hotter countries. However, AC units are now commonplace in UK businesses and shops, and the residential market is developing, too. By maintaining pleasant conditions in hot and humid weather with a cool roof, you can avoid the energy expense – and noise – of an AC unit or electric fan.
Benefits to the environment
As discussed above, your cool roof can save energy and lower your carbon footprint, but if widely adopted, cool roofs could also have powerful benefits for the wider environment.
The ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’, where air temperatures are higher in cities and built-up areas, is caused by buildings absorbing heat.
High temperatures in urban areas increase the demand for energy to run air conditioning units in large sealed buildings like office blocks and apartments. However, evidence also suggests that high air temperatures contribute to global warming and raise the risk of flooding.
Longer lasting roofs
Expansion and contraction during high-temperature fluctuation strain the material used in your roof, leading to faster deterioration. Keeping your roof cooler will delay this effect and could increase its longevity.
The downsides of Cool roofs
Installation Cost
Cool roofs require specialised coatings and reflective paint, which are relatively new to the market and, therefore, still more costly than traditional roofing materials.
Not appropriate for colder parts of the UK
Although the whole of the UK is considered a temperate climate, the weather conditions vary considerably between the south-east of England and the North of Scotland. In colder parts of the country, the absorption of solar heat may be advantageous, as it can reduce heating costs in the winter.
Aesthetics
Cool roofs look different, and the light-coloured paint and reflective appearance may be jarring to some, especially in a residential area or a traditional house.
The risk of condensation
Installers must incorporate extra ventilation when building cool roofs, as they can be prone to build-up and mould problems.
Next steps
Whatever type of roof you have, it is essential to maintain and keep it clean.
The Improve a Roof cleaning and inspection service will keep your roof in top condition and identify problems like moss colonisation and damaged tiles before they affect its energy efficiency.
We are based in Macclesfield and provide roof cleaning services in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Manchester, Merseyside, North Wales, Derbyshire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire.
Call us NOW on 0800 046 9686 for a free, no-obligation quotation.