Summer days are what a lot of people wait all year for. It brings warm weather, beach days, no school, and camping trips. What it also brings, though, is heat and sweat. One way to keep cool in the summertime is by keeping your residential roof cool.
On hot, sunny days in the summer, traditional black roofs can have a temperature of over 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat then warms the rest of the house, making you sweat and driving up cooling costs and electricity bills.
So, what can you do to cool down your roof so the rest of your home doesn’t heat up?
Some solutions include updating your insulation, investing in solar panels, making the roof a lighter color, and adding shade. We will go through these solutions and more below.
Update Insulation
As your attic is directly below your roof, it will be the first area to heat up. By adding or updating attic insulation in the walls, floor, and ceiling, you can better shield it from summer heat as well as keep the heat from penetrating through to the rest of the home. You can also add ventilation to help the heat escape and open windows for increased air flow.
Invest in Solar Panels
Solar panels are always a good idea. Not only do they capture sunlight and transform it into electricity for better energy efficiency, but they also add a layer of protection between the sun’s rays and the roof. With less sun directly hitting the roof, it stays cooler throughout the day and so does your home.
Change the Roof Color
Have you ever heard that wearing black in the summer makes you hotter and sweatier? That is because black and other dark colors absorb heat, and it is the same for rooftops. Many traditional homes have darker colored roofs that absorb heat and warm up the entire house. Lighter colors, such as white, though, are heat reflective. By painting your roof white or using lighter colored shingles, you will reflect heat and keep your home cool.
Add Shade
Similar to solar panels, adding shade to your roof means that there is less direct sunlight hitting it for less heat. To increase the shade on your roof, you can add tall trees around the home that will shield it from the sun. This also increases the aesthetic appeal of your property. Or you can also add some fiber netting around the roof to increase shade.
Build a Rooftop Garden
Another way to protect your roof from heat and increase the use you get out of your roof is by adding a rooftop garden. This is easiest for flatter roofs with easy access. A rooftop garden creates a layer between the sun and the surface of the roof that keeps it cool. The water from watering the garden also cools down the roof. By adding flowerbeds or potted plants, you also have a beautiful landscape piece that allows you to get more enjoyment out of your roof.
Add Some Mist
Water is a natural cooling substance. It is why we run water on burns and jump into pools on hot, sunny days. To cool your roof, you can set up a roof misting system that sprays mist at regular intervals. As the water evaporates throughout the day, it can cool the roof by 40 to 60 degrees. To do this, you can either hire professionals to install an evaporative cooling system or run a garden hose up the side of the home and set it to mist.
The Rundown on Roofs
The summer heat can be brutal, and our homes are often our haven from the summer sun. To ensure your roof and home stays cool, follow any of the tips outlined above. It could just be the perfect solution to the heat.
Summer has arrived in Michigan and the heat can take its toll on more than just the roof of your home. Consider Excel Home Improvement Services in Romulus for help with the exterior of your home, including the siding, gutters and of course the roof. We are an exterior home improvement company with a reputation for quality work and products. You will find we use leading industry materials backed by a warranty for long lasting repairs and installations.
Aside from our useful tips and recommendations, our home improvement services include roof installation and repair, gutter installation as well as siding repair and installation. Homes are our specialty and making sure the exterior is up to par is our goal.