If there is one thing of no shortage in Arizona, it’s sunshine. On average, there are 301 sunny days in Mesa each year. The climate is great if you hate rain, but it also makes our homes and businesses hot, sticky, and expensive to cool.
If you want to reduce energy bills and keep your environment cooler than ever, reflective roof coatings could be the solution. This post will explore what reflective roof coatings are and five ways in which they could revolutionize your Arizona property.
What Are Reflective Roof Coatings?
Reflective roof coatings are typically applied to flat and low-slope roofs. They can be added to built-up roofing (BUR), resulting in a reflective roof that cools the building and protects against damaging UV rays.
TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin) roofing systems can also have a weathering package applied. This protects the membrane from the weathering effect of UV rays. It also makes the roof whiter, which helps it reflect more heat.
Coatings with high ratings from the Cool Roof Rating Council can result in the benefits discussed below.
Why You Need a Reflective Roof Coating
Everyone wants a cooler home and lower bills, but adding a reflective coating to your roof can provide additional benefits you may not have anticipated.
Beat the heat
According to the US Department of Energy, a conventional roof can reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit on a sunny day. However, a reflective, cool roof can reduce the temperature of a roof by over 50 degrees. The roof gets only a few degrees hotter than the outside temperature, reducing the amount of heat transferred into the building.
Just as we wear light-colored clothes in summer because they keep us cooler, reflective roof coatings are often light in color. This results in high solar reflectance – reflecting the heat of the sun rather than absorbing it like dark-colored roofs.
Lower energy bills
One of the biggest benefits of reflective roof coatings is savings on your energy bills. Actual results will vary from building to building, but they could reduce your energy consumption by up to 30 percent.
Over time, the money you save in lower energy bills could offset the initial cost of the reflective coating. At the same time, you are reducing your home’s carbon footprint by reducing its energy consumption.
Extend your roof’s lifespan
Some roofing materials are very susceptible to UV radiation. The most common roofing material in the US—asphalt shingles—becomes brittle and cracks due to long-term UV exposure. Materials with this vulnerability need to be repaired more often and replaced more quickly in areas like Arizona, where UV reaches higher levels than in northern parts of the country.
Unlike asphalt shingles, reflective roof coatings provide an effective barrier against UV rays. This prevents the surface from cracking and warping and helps the roof’s structure last longer and needs fewer repairs. Typically, a reflective roof coating can last around 10 years. However, the beauty of this system is that, in many cases, roofs can be recoated.
More durable roofs also reduce waste, which is better for the environment, as less of their roofing waste is consigned to landfills.
Reduce the heat island effect
A “heat island” is an area with much higher temperatures than the surrounding natural landscapes. In Arizona, heat islands easily develop in areas with limited greenery and many structures close together. Traditional building and roofing materials can worsen the effect by absorbing more of the sun’s heat than trees and vegetation.
Heat islands create the following negative consequences:
- Increased energy consumption: Buildings in the area must consume more electricity to keep air conditioning running and buildings cool enough for people to work in comfortably.
- Greater emissions: Using more electricity results in greater fossil fuel consumption, which leads to more harmful gases being emitted into the atmosphere. This contributes to global climate change.
- Increased discomfort for humans: People who work outdoors in urban heat islands experience greater discomfort. It also makes life harder for people with chronic illnesses, disabilities, and mobility issues.
Reflective roof coatings can help to lessen the impact of heat islands. By reflecting UV rays and heat away from buildings, cool roofs are part of a range of strategies endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce the heat island problem.
Lower maintenance costs
All roofing systems require regular maintenance, but reflective roof coatings have some advantages that can reduce how often you need to call your local roofing contractor.
Water ingress is a roof’s biggest enemy. Once water penetrates the exterior roofing material, it can wreak havoc on the structure of your roof and the interior of your home or business. However, reflective roof coatings are different.
In addition to protecting from the damaging effect of UV rays, the reflective coating’s liquid nature upon application means it gets into every nook and cranny of your roof. Therefore, it provides an excellent seal that minimizes the possibility of leaks.
With reflective roof coatings, maintenance costs are also more predictable. There is often no need for a full tear-off and replacement. All you need to do is budget for a recoat every decade or so.
A recoat causes minimal disruption to your home or business. You don’t need to shut down or move out while the work is being done.
Time to Talk Reflective Roof Coatings With Overson Roofing
If you’re tired of living or working in a hot building that costs a fortune to keep cool, installing a reflective roof coating could be a great solution. However, it is vital to choose a roofing company with the experience and skills to find the perfect solution for your home or business premises.
At Overson Roofing, we live and breathe roofs. We are proud to install a wide range of roofing types that benefit from reflective coatings, including built-up roofing, SPF foam roofing, and modified rubber roofs. With over 40 years of experience in installing roofs in the Phoenix metro area, you can trust our knowledgeable crew to do a great job that will stand the test of time.
Now is the time to install a roof that will reward you with lower maintenance costs, better energy efficiency, and a more comfortable indoor environment. For a free estimate, call 480-354-2564 or fill out our online contact form today.