Whether you’ve recently purchased a new house or you’ve been a homeowner for decades, you may be surprised to learn that the blistering summer heat can have a significant impact on your home’s roof. If you want to prevent the extreme heat from impacting the quality of your roof, keep these tips in mind.
1. Select the Best Materials For Your Region
If you live somewhere with extreme summers, you should invest in a roofing material that reflects the heat and reduces your cooling costs. Tile is the most energy-efficient roofing material for hot climates, and it also lasts decades under the unrelenting sun.
If tile isn’t an option for you, you may consider metal. Metal is highly reflective, especially with a light color option, and the sun doesn’t break down metal roofs the way it can break down other materials, like asphalt.
2. Paint Your Roof a Light Color
Just like the color shirt you wear, the color of your roof can make a huge difference in the way your roof absorbs heat. A lighter roof can make your home less susceptible to the sun’s rays, reducing your heating bills. Plus, light-colored roofs last longer than darker ones. A cool roof in white reflects the vast majority of sunlight, but you have other color options as well. You can work with a roofing professional to find the best color for your roof, even if you want to balance energy-efficiency with aesthetics.
3. Insulate & Ventilate Your Attic
Taking a few simple steps to protect your attic can improve your roof’s lifespan. Proper ventilation in your attic helps push you extra heat, which can mean cooler insulation, shingles and decking.
Likewise, insulation stops heat in its tracks, preventing it from transferring throughout the rest of the house. Insulation and ventilation can work together to make your home more comfortable this summer. A roofing professional can take a look at your attic’s configuration to determine how your home can be more efficient.
4. Plant Greenery
Shading your home might be easier than you think. Some trees grow quickly, providing high canopies to shade your home’s roof in addition to the surrounding yard. If you’d like to plant some fast-growing shade trees, you might consider the northern red oak, quaking aspen or Sun Valley Maple.
You might also consider a green roof. For instance, some homeowners start a rooftop garden to provide some temperature reduction. Rooftop gardens not only offer shade for the home below, but they also help remove heat from the air.
5. Install Solar Panels
If you’d like to see a reduction in your energy bills, installing solar panels is a great way to achieve that goal. Solar panels may cost more to install than most roofing materials, but they are also a solid investment for most homes. If the sun is going to beat down on your roof, why not use nature to your advantage?
We Make Roof Protection Easy
Whether you’d like to protect your roof from extreme heat or you’re considering solar panel installation, we can help you figure out a way to beat the heat. Roofing Optimum, we focus on quality and offer one of the best warranty programs in the industry. Contact us to get a free quote or download our Ultimate Guide to Your New Roof.
