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Commercial Roof Components: A Focus On Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency should be a factor when considering which commercial roof components. The roof of your building drastically affects the day-to-day life of those who walk beneath. It regulates temperatures, protects from wind and rain, and simply looks nice as you pass by. Roof construction can utilize many different components.

Metal Roofs In The Summer

Getting outside and enjoying the sunshine is one of the best parts of the summer. However, no one wants to come home to a warm house after an afternoon in the sunshine. Likewise, employees at your business don’t want to add to the heat they already have to endure.

Maintaining comfortable and consistent temperatures can be expensive. You can’t simply turn off the sunshine. What can you do to be sure the temperature inside doesn’t match the temperature outside?

Diminishing the impact of the sun is the most direct means of regulating temperatures. Industrial roofing is going to receive direct sunlight almost every day. But how does a metal roof stack up against other materials like shingles?

Metal roofs showed more energy savings. Oak Ridge National Laboratory compared various configurations of metal roofing materials. They found “All the tested roofs showed the potential for substantial energy savings compared to an asphalt shingle roof, which was used as a control for comparison.”

Why is This?

Metal roofs are inherently more reflective than shingles. Changing the color of the shingles or even applying a reflective coat can mitigate this. However, shingles naturally absorb more heat which is then transferred to the building.

Metal roofs simply bounce the heat from sunshine away from the building. There will always be a degree of absorption, but it is drastically less with metal roofs. This can be even greater with proper treatments to the roof.

But What About the Winter?

The reason metal roofs are great in the summer is also the reason proper planning is needed for the winter. Metal roofs aren’t going to retain as much heat from the sun. Ensuring the roof was installed by professionals with proper insulation is integral to maintaining low energy costs in the winter.

Ensure your commercial roof components are ready for the changes in weather. This can take the form of preventative maintenance, repairs, or making sure everything is cleaned and ready for the changes in temperature or coming snow.

Are There Other Options to Maximize Efficiency?

Metal roofs operate on a watershed system. This means there is a slight slope to the roof that allows water to run off. Commercial flat roofing requires a water-proofing roof system such as the Duro-Last Roofing System.

“The Duro-Last® white membrane has the highest retained reflectivity of any single-ply membrane rated by the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Roof Products Program.”

This reflectivity operates much the same as a metal roof in that it reduces the absorption of the sun’s heat.

The sun doesn’t shine any less in the winter. Flat roofing lends itself perfectly to the installation of solar panels. This is a great way to increase the energy efficiency of your flat roof. The design of the roof is important. Maintaining a large surface with a low pitch is a perfect opportunity to turn the energy from the sun into a means of reducing the monthly energy bills. If you are able to absorb the initial cost of installation, you can see short-term savings turn into long-term savings.

What Have We Learned?

Metal is one of the many great options for commercial roof components. Reflecting the heat from the sun is essential when it comes to making it through the summer without a utility bill that will make your hair turn grey. Metal roofs have been proven to reflect more heat than other options especially when combined with proper ventilation, materials, and color choices. If a flat roof system is required, using a membrane system like Duro-Last is your best option.

Proper installation methods and industry knowledge factor greatly into how efficient any roofing system will be. Knowing your options is equally important as finding a trusted and experienced roofing company to guide you through the process.

The professionals and JBK Roofing are ready to put more than 20 years of experience to work for you.

Commercial roofing benefits greatly from energy-efficient materials. Contact JBK Roofing to find out how they can best help you.