How a Roof Can Lower Your Utility Bill

Like most homeowners, you probably have thought about different ways you can reduce your energy bills every month to save money. One effective way you can significantly reduce these costs is through your roof. If you are thinking about replacing your roof any time soon, there are some elements you should consider adding to your roof to both reduce your energy bills as well as expand the lifespan of your roof.

Insulation:

Even if you’re not ready to completely replace your roof, there are still ways you can improve your roof to effectively conserve energy and reduce your energy bills. A cheaper option to improving your roof is by updating your attics insulation. Proper insulation can both benefit your energy bills by conserving energy as well as expanding the overall lifespan of your roof. An effective insulation layer is what creates a barrier between your attic and the temperature-controlled parts of your home. Depending on the time of year, your attic may be super warm or extremely cold. If your attic is warm, insulation will keep that warm air inside your attic while allowing your AC to effectively move throughout the spaces in your home you want at a cooler temperature. Similarly, in the winter months, if your attic is super cold, good insulation will keep that cold air inside your attic so it doesn’t affect your heated air moving around the spaces you want it. This reduces your energy as a well-insulated home will let less temperature-controlled air escape.

Shingle Color:

Just like the seats of your car, and the pavement on the road during the hot summer months, your roof can also absorb the summer heat and become extremely hot. Darker color roofs absorb much more heat than lighter color roofs, resulting in that heat traveling through the roof itself into the attic. This can cause the temperature of your attic to drastically rise, as your dark-colored roof continues to absorb heat.

You may want to consider changing the color of your shingles and rooms to limit the amount of heat they absorb from the sun. Energy-efficient shingles also come in solar reflecting colors that will help reduce the heat transfer through your roof into your attic. Energy-efficient shingles not only help prevent heat absorption in your house but also tend to have a longer life span because they remain generally cooler, and their base doesn’t age as quickly.

Metal Roofing:

Metal roofing is much more energy-efficient than your average asphalt shingle roof. Asphalt shingle roofs tend to absorb much of the heat outside, then transferring it throughout the layers of your roof and into your attic. This can raise the temperature throughout your house, especially in the warm summer months. If the temperature is higher than it should be inside your home, your controlled temperature air will then have to work harder than it should. Metal roofing is one of the most energy-efficient materials your can use for your roof. In the colder months, metal roofing provides fantastic insulation, keeping the cold air outside your home. Similarly, in the summertime, metal roofs reflect the sunlight, keeping the energy costs of your home down almost 40% in the warmer months.

While lowering the energy costs in all months, metal roofing also has a longer life span. Asphalt shingles tend to absorb much more heat than metal roofs, causing them to weaken, curl, and rip. This can impact the ability of your roof to protect your home from changes in the weather outside. Metal roofs are much more resistant to all temperatures, making them more likely to withstand any changes to the weather. Metal roofs will not become weakened as fast as asphalt shingles.

A Radiant Barrier:

Additionally, a radiant barrier can be an effective energy-saving option to add to your roof. This helps reduce the heat transfer that passes through your shingles into your attic. A radiant barrier is a coating on the underside of your deck that helps reflex the heat away from your home. This barrier is typically applied during a re-roofing or a roof repair. Overall, a radiant barrier will help lower your heating and cooling air costs thought your home throughout the months.

Ventilation:

Although it may seem extreme to add or upgrade your ventilation in your attic, your attic plays a vital role as a thermal barrier between your living space and your roof. During the warmer months especially, your attic can trap unwanted heat that is absorbed through your roof. Without proper ventilation, this heat can flow into your living space, or even worse, damage your shingles and warp the decking on your roof. This can shorten the lifespan of your shingles as well. Investing in intake vents, which draws fresh air into the attic, as well as exhaust vents, allows for natural circulation of air. Cool air will flow through the intake vents, warmer air will rise to the top and leave through the exhaust vents. This can contribute to keeping your home’s cooling costs down.

Improving your roof is an effective way to help lower your home’s energy costs. Factors such as the material of your roof, proper insulation, and ventilation, as well as the color of your roof, can all contribute to a more energy-efficient home. If you’re not sure which improvements your roof may need, contacting an expert roofing company may be a good idea. They will be able to inspect and recommend aspects to your roof that may need upgrades in order to be more energy efficient.