How Cool Roof Works

How your roof works your roof is not just made up of a few shingles.

How cool roof works.

Cool roofs reduce the thermal radiation of heat into the atmosphere convection of heat into outside air and the conduction of heat into the building. How cool roofs work traditional dark colored roofing ma terials absorb sunlight making them warm in the sun and increasing the need for air conditioning. Coatings are like very thick paints that can protect the roof surface from ultra violet uv light and chemical damage and some offer water protection and restorative features. A cool roof is a roofing system that delivers higher solar reflectance the ability to reflect the visible infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun reducing heat transfer to the building and higher thermal emittance the ability to radiate absorbed or non reflected solar energy than standard designed roofing products.

Roof temperature is rated via solar reflectance and thermal emittance with ratings ranging between 0 and 1. This lowers urban air temperatures and mitigates the urban heat island effect. It also slows the formation of ground level ozone and smog. This results in lower absorption of solar heat and a cooler roof.

You can usually make a new or existing roof cool by selecting the appropriate surface. On top of the rafters your roof has plywood followed by sheathing a material that s designed to protect your home from moisture. There are many types of roof systems available but the surface exposed to the sun is the one that determines if a roof is cool or not. It begins with the rafters and continues on in layers of protection that prevent water and the wind from damaging your home.

The right underlayment for your roof will keep moisture cold weather and stifling summer air out giving your roof a longer life. Cool roofs are designed to reflect sunlight while absorbing less heat. Compared to traditional roofs a reflective roof has a high albedo or solar reflectance. The surface of a cool roof reflects more sunlight and releases more heat than a so called hot or dark roof.

Historically cool roofs have been either white or some other lighter shade color. White or special cool color roofs absorb less sunlight stay cooler in the sun and transmit less heat into the building. A higher albedo means that a roof has a higher ability to reflect the sun s rays and thus reflects more sunlight than traditional roofs. Cool roof coatings are white or special reflective pigments that reflect sunlight.

Cool roofs reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than traditional roofs. Many have anti slip technology to protect the people who install the roof and they can be exposed for up to six months while the roof gets built. Whereas darker traditional roofing materials absorb sunlight the reflective surfaces of a cool roof reflect it away.