A typical Oklahoman roof easily reaches up to 150 F on a normal summer day. It’s no surprise that the heat absorbed raises the internal temperature of your home. Not only is this immensely uncomfortable, but it also sends your air conditioning into an overdrive, racking up significantly higher energy bills. And then there’s the matter of energy efficiency.
Do you want to know five ingenious ways to dial down the temperature on your roof? Read below to find out!
#1 Slather on a Coat of Cool
Cool coatings for roofs are ideal for low-sloped roofs. Cool coatings can be found in two varieties – cementitious and elastomeric. The cementitious coatings are made of concrete and contain ceramic particles. Elastomeric, on the other hand, contains polymers in its formula. Elastomeric cool roof coatings are more flexible and stick better to building surfaces.
Cool coatings are sprayed or brushed onto the roof to create white, reflective surfaces that disallow the heat to permeate inside. Cool coatings are more prevalent in old roof repairs than in new replacements.
#2 Specially Formulated Cooling Shingles
Cool asphalt shingles contain a layer of reflective granules that helps them reflect a major chunk of the sun’s rays. Wooden or polymer shingles too can be coated to impart solar reflectance to them. Whiles shingles are not a popular choice for commercial applications, but they are widely used in residential properties. The best part is cooling shingles cost about the same as regular shingles, so you won’t be burning a hole in your pocket either.
#3 Get Misty-Eyed on the Roof
For homeowners who do not wish to add new surface coatings but would still like to cool down their roof, evaporative cooling systems can be the perfect solution. Also known as a roof mist cooling system, the machine works by misting tiny droplets of water across the roof. As the water evaporates, it lowers the surface temperature.
High-end roof mist cooling systems have a built-in misting pump, thermostat, timer, and 360-degree nozzle. If you want to build a similar system from scratch, you can use a garden hose set to the mist setting and aim it at your roof.
#4 Embrace the Green
A green roof is where you grow a vegetative layer on the rooftop. Green roofs protect the underlying structure from direct sunlight and reduce the surface and surrounding temperatures through transpiration and evaporation. It is true, rooftop gardens are a little costly to maintain, but the money buys not only cooler temperatures but also beautification, better air quality, and noise blocking. And the best part of this plan is – you don’t even need to have a green thumb for this. Rooftop greenery is easy to plant and take care of.
#5 Cool Down with Better Ventilation and Insulation
This last point is as simple as it sounds. Improving your home’s ventilation and bettering the insulation can help lower temperatures to a massive extent. Functional ventilation systems take the burden off your HVAC unit by cooling down the attic spaces.
Insulation keeps your home warm in the winters. Similarly, it can also help keep your home cool in the summers.
OKC’s Favorite Roofing Destination Since 1993
Preferred Roofing has been Oklahoma’s most trusted roofing destination since its inception in 1993. We specialize in both commercial and residential applications. Whether it’s tornado damage or you need a roof repair, we have got you covered. What’s more, we provide free estimates to our patrons. We can also help reach the best deal with your insurance company.