Beat The Heat!

When the temperatures climb, you give a lot of credit to your HVAC system. Your air conditioner works overtime to help you stay cool inside, no matter what’s happening outdoors. But your roof shares a lot of the credit, too. In fact, your roof has a lot to do with how well your air conditioner works and how cool your home stays. 

Here’s how your roof can help you beat the heat and keep your cool this summer:

Roofing Material Helps Your Home Stay Cooler (or Hotter)

The surface temperature of a black roof can reach as high as 150 degrees (Fahrenheit) on a hot summer day. With homes and buildings so close together in Hawaii, it’s no surprise that large living areas feel sweltering in the summer.

Part of this has to do with the material of the roof. Light-colored roofs and heat-absorbing materials can significantly lower the surface temperature. While dark colors tend to absorb heat, light colors reflect heat away from the home. This prevents some of that heat from entering your home in the first place, even in bright sunshine.

Some energy efficient materials come with solar reflective properties, which is specifically designed to help the sun’s energy reflect off of your roof top, rather than being absorbed as heat. This helps your home stay cooler during the hot summer weather! 

A Well-Maintained Roof Insulates Your Home

Roofs don’t maintain themselves. It’s not something you often think about when everything looks okay from the outside. But small holes, dents, dings, missing shingles or tiles, or other issues can have an impact on your comfort. 

When your roof is well maintained, it doesn’t just protect your home from the outside elements. It also insulates your home so you can keep more of your cool air indoors instead of allowing it to escape. 

Proper ventilation and maintenance on a well-balanced roofing system helps ensure proper performance… not only for weather proofing, but energy efficiency!

Your Roof May Decrease Energy Needs

Your air conditioner works hard to cool your home. But if all your cool air is escaping through the roof, your system will have to work even harder. That puts a lot of strain on your HVAC equipment. Not to mention, the more often it runs, the higher your energy costs. 

With a good roof, your cooling needs automatically decrease. You won’t need to run your system as often to get the level of comfort you want. It’s also better for the environment, as your total energy consumption declines. 

Insulation, solar reflectivity, ventilation and emissivity are all physical properties of your roofing components that can help promote energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

Decreasing Energy Consumptions Prolongs Your HVAC System

Some things get better with age. Your HVAC system isn’t one of them. The more you run it, the more wear and tear it receives. Most air conditioners will last 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance and average use. But if your AC is having to work overtime because your cool air keeps escaping through the roof, your unit is working harder and more often than it needs to. This can severely shorten its lifespan, which may end up costing you thousands of dollars. 

Maintaining your roof is a much cheaper way to cool your home than having to replace your AC unit. Checking for roofing issues and fixing them before they become bigger problems helps you save money year-round, not to mention the hassle that comes with expensive repairs.

Schedule Roof Maintenance Today!

Roof maintenance is a part of the larger home ownership puzzle. It’s not just about fixing leaks or taking care of tree damage. It’s also about keeping your roof in the best possible condition to improve the livelihood of your entire home. 

As temperatures start to climb, it’s time to check your roof. Contact us today for a roof inspection and learn how your roof can help you beat the heat!