A commercial building’s roof bears the brunt of intense summer temperatures, affecting the temperature inside the building. The 300 days of sunshine here in Colorado Springs means your roof never stops soaking in the rays. The strain on an air conditioning system can end up costing money to keep the building cooler and the occupants comfortable. Prepare now to beat the heat and protect your commercial building by consulting with a trustworthy roofing company to discuss the benefits of installing a cool roof today.
5 Reasons Not to Wait for the Heat of Summer to Consider a Reflective Roof
Once the summer heat is here, reflective roofs quickly become in high demand. By acting before summer, a commercial building owner can ensure that:
- The reflective roof coating is completed before the roof starts to bake in the summer sun.
- The reflective roof fluid-applied system creates a more protective seal against the heat and high temperatures that the summer months can bring.
- The non-permeable membrane of this type of roof helps to protect the building against severe weather: such as high winds, monsoon rains, and intense UV radiation.
- The white color of the fluid coating is applied via multiple layers for superior performance in solar reflectance.
- The roof is finished before the heat, keeping the air conditioning unit from becoming overworked: and saving energy and money.
The Benefits of Cool or Reflective Roofs
With all that commercial building owners are responsible for, we understand that any roof modifications must be beneficial for many reasons to justify the change, fortunately, cool or reflective roofs are beneficial in several ways, including:
- Keeping people and things in the building cooler. In buildings such as schools, hospitals, and government facilities, it is critical to keep the interior temperature cool during the intense summer heat. It is estimated that a cool roof can decrease the temperature of the interior of a building by up to thirty degrees. Reflecting solar heat allows the building to be cooler without having to put stress on the air conditioning system.
- Promoting heat safety. In the warmest and most intense heat of the season, the difference can be up to eighty degrees between a reflective roof and one that is not reflective.
- Providing energy savings. When outdoor temperatures reach around ninety degrees is when most air conditioners ramp up to compensate for all that hot air. In geographic areas with intense sunshine, like Colorado, AC units are kept running for longer hours at a higher intensity. A reflective roof can be instrumental in reducing the added pressure on the system, which can result in up to a twenty percent reduction in energy bills over time.
Reducing harmful carbon dioxide emissions. Building owners looking for greener options frequently choose reflective roof installations to decrease carbon dioxide emissions.
How Easy and Affordable is it to Have a Reflective or Cool Roof Installed?
In many instances, a reflective roof installation is more affordable than you might think. For example, getting this type of roof is not restricted to new roofs. In many cases, the existing roof lends itself to a reflective coating via renovation. Though it is true that installing a reflective roof is an added initial cost, many building owners find a strong return on investment through energy savings. In general, building owners prefer a roof renovation instead of a complete roof replacement whenever possible. Here is why:
- It is more budget-friendly. Roof renovations can cost up to fifty percent less than a roof replacement, and when adding the potential energy savings from a reflective roof, the change can be much more cost-effective than other options.
- It is more conducive to the workplace. A reflective roof renovation is not typically as noisy or disruptive as that of a complete roof replacement. The latter generates a great deal of noise between the ripping away of old materials and the installation of new ones, not to mention the presence of numerous vehicles which are tasked with toting away the debris. With a roof renovation, occupants of the building often don’t even realize there is a team working on the roof.
- It offers warranty options. A reflective roof renovation installation should come with a warranty. Particularly for cool roofs, a warranty may last as long as twenty-five years in some cases. Although it’s important to have documented maintenance regularly to make sure any warranty remains valid.
Timing and the Right Provider are Important Keys to Success
As summer temperatures seem to inch up every year the demand for reflective roof installations is increasing. Don’t wait for the heat of the summer to consider a reflective roof, because that hesitation could put you on a growing waiting list of building owners wanting to make this change as well. While a cool roof installation can be done (weather permitting) throughout the year, it may be more effective to have it in place before the summer heat arrives. This can keep the air conditioning unit from having to work hard to get the temperature down once the heat has already arrived and the reflective roof can take effect. Look to enlist the help of a professional commercial roofing company that brings decades of experience to the table, along with a solid reputation for offering quality work to clients. Because intense summer heat can be so powerful that it degrades some roofing components over time, it is recommended to choose a roofing provider that offers a wide range of services including inspections, repairs, maintenance, and more.
If June, July, and August usually find you sweating inside and your air conditioner working overtime, don’t wait to consider a reflective roof. Act now and get ahead of the heat.
