Cool Roofing Systems

As society progresses, individuals are becoming more and more environmentally conscious across the world, especially Florida. Cool roofs have exploded in popularity, especially since cool roofs are great for saving on energy costs.

What Is A Cool Roof?

In short, cool roofs are roofs that are designed to reflect sunlight and absorb heat. Think of a cool roof like wearing a white shirt during the summertime. You’re keeping yourself cool by wearing a lighter material and color. It’s the same concept applied for creating cool roofs.

Cool roofs come in all types of lighter materials, including reflective paints, sheet covers, reflective tiles, and even some shingles. Standard roofs, which are often darker colors and heavier material, can reach temperatures of 150°F or more in the Florida sun. A cool roof can stay up to 50°F cooler in those exact same conditions, ultimately saving on energy costs as HVAC systems run for less time, and operate more efficiently to cool the building below.

To clarify, not all cool roofs white. Many cool products are actually darker color, but they’re specifically designed to reflect the sun, keeping heat out of your building. That being said, white is still the most common color for all cool roofs due to the color’s natural heat reflecting properties.

Benefits Of Cool Roofs

Perhaps the biggest benefit of a cool roof and the main reason to choose a cool roof is that it’s all but guaranteed to save you on energy costs. If your roof is 50°F cooler compared to a traditional roof, your monthly bill for running a commercial HVAC system is going to be a lot less. In fact, it’s possible for you to save up to 15% on your cooling costs according to some estimates. But not only that, a cool roof keeps areas of your building that aren’t air conditioned—like garages or patios—much cooler compared to a traditional roof.

Other benefits of a cool roof include the following:

• Low Maintenance Costs: Cool roofs are typically longer lasting than traditional roofs, requiring little maintenance and having a longer lifespan.
• Decreased Roof Temperature: High temperatures, especially in Florida, age your roof quickly, causing damages that would not normally be seen until much later in a roof’s life. A cool roof decreases your roof’s overall temperature, increasing its lifespan overall.
• Environmentally Conscious: Sometimes referred to as the urban heat island effect, a cool roof will help to reduce the local air temperature, cooling off not only your building but your immediate surroundings. Cool roofs also help to reduce harmful power plant emissions because you’re reducing your cooling energy that’s used in your building.
• Versatility and Flexibility: One of the great benefits of a cool roof is how flexible they are. A cool roof can be made of a number of different materials, and they can be applied to a number of different styles of roof, including low-sloped, flat, and steep roofs.

Our roofing division has years of experience installing and repairing cool roofs. Since we’ve handled everything from modified bitumen to metal roofs as well as installed flat, low-sloped, and steep roofs, you can be rest assured that your next cool roof project is in good hands. Contact our office today to discuss your commercial roofing needs!