Roof: A layer of material placed on the skyward side of a house or building in order to keep precipitation from leaking into the space below. When most people think of a roof, this is a good approximation of the definition they use. The problem is that a roof can do so much more than simply keep the rain out. The wrong type of roof can increase your cooling costs, and the right roof can reduce them. Thus, when it comes time to renovate the roof on your commercial building, you need to make sure you look for a roof that will help you to keep your cooling costs low.
You might not think the color of your roof matters much beyond enhancing the look of your building. If you have a flat roof that is not visible from the ground, you might even think that the color or your roof is a moot point. The truth is that color matters when it comes to how much the sun heats your building. The problem is that dark colors, especially black, will absorb most of the sun's UV rays, convert UV rays to heat, and then radiate heat into your building. Light colored roofs, especially white roofs, will reflect the sun's energy away from your building. In fact, a white roof can reduce your cooling costs by up to 20%.
Emissivity: What is it to Thee?
While color is important, your roof will absorb some heat no matter what color it is. The question then becomes what becomes of the heat that your roof does absorb. If your roof retains heat, it will transfer that heat to the building below through the process of conduction. On the other hand, if your roof emits heat, at least some of the heat will escape back into the atmosphere. Thus, you should look for roofing membranes that are light-colored so that they reflect the sun's energy away from your building, and emissive so that they allow heat to escape before it enters your home.
While it might be cheaper to go with the standard, dark-colored, BUR roof, you will continue to pay for your roof with every check you write to your utility company. When you look at the big picture, it makes sense to pay more for a light-colored, highly emissive roofing membrane because it will help you to save money over the life of your roof. Contact John Criner Roofing Inc for more information.