A roof is more than just something over your head keeping the elements at bay. It can be used for everything from a rooftop deck to offering solar energy in your home to reducing your heating and cooling costs. Did you know your home could be outfitted with reflective roof coatings to help keep it cool during the summer and warm months of the year? Let’s look at how reflective roof coatings work and why you should consider investing in them.
More About Reflective Roof Coatings
Reflective roof coatings can be installed by a roofer or by yourself if you feel comfortable with the process. These coatings can be an easy and quick way to reduce cooling costs in your home. This coating works because it contains a variety of cement particles, polymers, and white pigments that help absorb and reflect light. They are used on flat and low-slope profile roofs and have been part of roofing for over two decades.
There are some ways to apply reflective roof coatings to steep-slope profile roofs, although these are best left to roofing professionals to ensure best results. Most asphalt shingles aren’t meant to be coated by anything, let alone reflective roof coatings. The American Society of Home Inspectors, National Roofing Contractors Association, and asphalt shingle manufacturers recommend against it. That means you want to work with a roofer to ensure it can be safe to use with your roof and shingle type.
In some cases, applying any coating to asphalt shingles can void the warranty so it’s imperative you check with a roofer and shingle manufacturer to make sure you can apply reflective roof coatings to your roof system.
If your roof system can use reflective roof coatings, this can cost anywhere from 50 cents to a dollar and a half per square foot, depending on the coating, labor, and other factors. While you can install it yourself to save money, if you don’t have the experience, it’s better and safer to pay a roofer to do it for you.
These reflective roof coatings last up to a decade if applied right. They can help extend the life of your roof depending on the system and are energy saving all around.
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