The blistering Texas summer is here, and temperatures are reaching into the 100s.
Believe it or not, as hot as it is at ground level, it’s even hotter up on your roof.
No joke: It can be 20 or even 30 degrees hotter on your roof than in the driveway.
The style, color, and soundness of your roof determines exactly how much of that heat will get absorbed into your attic. From there, the insulation in your attic is the next line of defense in keeping your home cooler. Then, heat transfer occurs throughout the rest of the building.
This amounts to a huge quality of life issue inside your home.
When your roof, ventilation, or insulation are in bad shape, your home absorbs much more heat. This heat gets trapped within the structure and means your air conditioning unit has to fight harder to reach and maintain the temperature you want. In the long run, this can cost you a fortune.
Does it feel like your air conditioning is always running? This might be why.
Luckily, you can take the bull by the horns. The right roof can reflect close to 30% of solar radiation. Ventilation fixes throughout the home can improve air flow, too. That means you spend less time (and money!) getting to the comfortable temperature you want.
Here are the options:
Install a New Metal Roof
If you have money to invest, a new metal roof is the best option for keeping your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter. A huge amount of heat will bounce off your roof. Most homeowners notice a change of several degrees from the summer temperatures they’re used to.
While we recommend a professional roofing inspection every year for a shingle roof, a metal roof needs much less maintenance – it can usually go two to three years between inspections. So, not only are you saving on the cost of temperature control, you’re also reducing roofing bills.
Use Reflective Cool Roof Shingles
Cool roof shingles look like conventional roof shingles, but they have a secret: reflective granules dispersed across the surface. These granules help reflect solar radiation. The effect is not quite as powerful as a metal roof, but has all of the same benefits.
Installing cool roof shingles is a smaller project than a complete metal roof. It will cost you less and you won’t have to change the whole look of the house. Many homeowners preparing to sell have used these shingles to show buyers the roof is new and it’ll save them money.
Improve Your Roof Ventilation
Your home’s temperature depends on good air circulation. Ventilation prevents heat from migrating down from your attic in the summer. In the winter, it keeps warm, wet heat from being trapped in the attic, thus enabling heat to flow evenly throughout the home. Better ventilation also extends the life of your roof shingles and insulation.
Save money and stay cool this summer. Contact Longhorn Roofing to get started.
