Energy Efficient Tips for Your Roof
Severe weather events and shifting climate norms are creating renewed interest in energy efficient homes.
Even for those of us living in the relatively mild climate of the Bay Area, an energy efficient home can mean a significant reduction in our energy bills.
How to Make Your Home and Roof More Energy Efficient
Darren Little, of Booth and Little offers this advice, “I share three tips with them. If they are choosing new roofing material, pick lighter colors.”
“Next, consider insulation, if your home doesn’t have it already. You’d be surprised at the number of older homes we work on that have insufficient insulation. When they were built, it wasn’t in the code.”
Lastly, he recommends, “Choosing sustainable re-roofing materials. The roofing industry is making a real effort to come up with materials that are compatible with the growing interest in efficiency and sustainability.”
Follow These Three Steps to Get Started
Step #1: Choose Lighter Roofing Colors
The lighter the color of your roofing material, the more it may be expected to reflect heat. Flat roofed homes can be coated in white. Steeply sloped roofs can be re-roofed with lighter colored asphalt tiles that also contain a coating that reflects light. When researching this, you may discover the term cool roof. According to Energy.gov, “Cool roofs can be made of a highly reflective type of paint, a sheet covering, or highly reflective tiles or shingles.
Step #2 Insulate
Adding insulation is a no-brainer for upping your home’s energy efficiency. How do you know if your home is insulated properly? If you are in a relatively new home, your home is probably well insulated. Homes built before 1970 are iffier when it comes to sufficient insulation. In Marin, Napa and Sonoma Counties, there are many older homes that may never have been retrofitted with attic or outer wall insulation. If you are doing a complete re-roofing job, you may want to talk with your roofer to determine if this could be included in their services, if needed. Proper insulation will reduce your energy bills both to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Step #3: Make Sustainable Choices During Re-Roofing
The topic of sustainable roofing materials to support energy efficiency is one that matters to many homeowners. If you are at the point where your roof needs to be replaced, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of the eco-friendly roofing choices that are available today. You may also want to consider the advantage of including a solar system to reduce your energy costs and increase energy efficiency.
If you would like to talk with a professional roofer about your options to make your roof and home more energy efficient, contact us today.
