Lower Cooling Bills with a Reflective Roof

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire. How prophetic, that party song. Our roofs are "on fire" in the warmer months. The roof is a broad, unshaded space on which the sun's heat can pound mercilessly. Most of the heat transfer into our house comes through the roof. Hence, the roof is on fire.

According to Energy Star, "solar reflectance is the most important characteristic of a roof product in terms of yielding the highest energy savings during warmer months." If you want to green your roof, making it reflective is the key.

Reflective roofing products will lower the temperature by 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This will drop your cooling bill by 10-15%. Just painting your roof white offsets five metric tons of C02 a year. (on a 500 sq ft roof) That's before further reflective technology is added. This is all really good news for your pocketbook and the environment.

Reflective Roof Products

What are reflective roofing products? The products come in more than one form. There are reflective roof coverings, tiles, paints and PVC sheets. Check out Energy Star's complete product list. (PDF) Reflective white paint and aluminum sheeting are cheap, DIY alternatives to expensive roofing materials.

Another bonus is that these products protect your roof. That means your roof will last longer which increases the overall eco-friendliness of your house's top.