Is Your Roof Energy Efficient?

Managing a business is enough work without worrying that your building is letting hard earned money escape through an inefficient roof.

An energy-efficient roof can tame that energy bill and allow your focus to be where it's needed; on your business. Here are a few tips on keeping an energy-efficient roof over your head.

-Light Pigments – All commercial roofs are flat, and have historically been made of black tar. This encourages sunlight absorption and can dramatically increase cooling costs inside the building.  A light-colored roof can reflect up to 85% of the sun's rays and can decrease temperatures by 30^oF in some cases.  But don't rip the roof off your building yet, 'Cool Roof' coatings are an option.  These thick paint-like substances are of a light or reflective color and can also protect against UV and chemical damage.  An alternative to these Cool Roofs is the use of TPO or PVC which creates a highly reflective surface similar to the coating.

-Insulation Effectiveness – Insulation is a key component to energy efficiency. Keeping the heat and the cold where you want it will decrease demand on your building systems and your wallet. A typical option for energy efficiency is to have Polyisocyanurate insulation installed over a metal roof, and then covered with a single ply membrane of TPO or PVC. Polyisocyanurate is a rigid foam used in the majority of commercial building construction and boasts the highest R-Value per inch of thickness. R-Value is a scale used to determine insulation efficiency, and that combined with Polyiso's virtually nonexistent impact on the environment, makes it a good option for your business.

-Tax rebates – Remember, energy-efficient roofs are about saving money as much as saving the environment. Be sure to look into the incentives available to you; installing an energy efficient roof can be beneficial when tax season comes around. A Federal tax credit exists for metal and asphalt roofs with pigmented coatings that have been ENERGY STAR (A government-backed designation) certified.

For further questions remember to contact the Southeastern Michigan Roofing Contractors Association at SMRCA.org.