Look up for a couple of seconds. Maybe a couple more. Great. That’s your roof, a structure that protects you from intruders, threats, and weather conditions posing great dangers to you and your loved ones. Having a roof over your head is literally the number #1 priority when it comes to housing, but if you don’t know how to make it more energy-efficient, the roof itself can carry several disadvantages. 

For example, a cool roof with proper ventilation can lead to a lower electricity bill at the end of the month. Yet, if your roof receives or produces too much heat, well, you are not going to save as much as you would want to. Plus, you are probably going to sweat a lot, and nobody wants that. So, bear in mind that either repairing your roof or installing a new one could represent a breath of fresh air for you and your wallet. 

Still, there’s no need to worry about those numbers just yet because we have gathered a list of valuable tips you can follow to adjust your roofing game into one that retains less heat, requires less energy and leaves more money for enjoyment.  

Insulate your roof 

We all know that reinstalling a new roof or fully remodeling an old one can be rather expensive, but here’s one thing you should have in mind that most people won’t tell you: you don’t have to do that.  

That’s right. There is no need to even touch the current roof with proper roof insulation. A fine layer of insulation between your attic and the roof of the living part of the house significantly reduces the amount of heat transferred to areas. To simplify: if your attic is hot because of the summer, you don’t have to worry about heating the rest of your house. Hence, nobody has to make the AC run in an 80-hour work.  

With roof insulation, you not only save some bucks at the end of the month, but you will also extend the life of the current roof. And the only thing better than saving money today is saving money even in the future. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when we are talking about your home. 

Paint your roof with light colors 

Does painting your shingles black make your roof look cooler? Maybe, but we’re afraid we’ve got some bad news for you.  

The colors you use for painting your house directly affect the amount of energy you use daily. For example, painting the interiors of your house in light colors will help the natural light reflect better on them, minimizing the energy intake used for lighting your home. And the same thing happens with your roof, so, the darker your shingles are, the more heat they accumulate, making your house warmer since that heat goes directly into your roof deck and attic. Therefore, if you decide to paint your shingles in light colors, heat accumulation is not going to be that much of a problem. When it comes to energy-efficient roofs, light is the new black and reflective shingles are the best option in the market! 

Beware of ventilation 

There’s nothing like fresh air, right? Your roof probably feels the same way. Most people don’t even care about the airflow in their attics, but what do you think happens when you have a hot attic with no way out of all the heat? Exactly, it goes directly into your house, forcing your AC system to work harder than usual and therefore increasing the amount of energy used. Even if you insulated the rest of your house, the heat trapped in there can shorten your shingles’ useful life due to the high temperatures coming from above and down. 

So, what is the smartest and quickest solution to this problem? Simple. Install intake vents and exhaust vents in your roof and attic. That’s about it. 

The intake vents allow the entrance of cool air and, due to natural airflow circulation, the cool air will become warmer, rise to the top of the roof, and go out through the exhaust vents, smartly positioned in the upper part of the attic. This process is energy-efficient because it prevents the heat from being trapped in that part of the house. 

Let’s wrap it up 

Everyone cares about two things: our bank accounts and energy efficiency. And they both come together. But we care about one more thing: you. We’re here to help, not only providing you with relevant information but also offering you the highest-quality products and services out there. Whether you are in the search for a roof inspection, repairs, installation, or just counseling regarding which are the best materials to buy, feel free to give us a call.