Thursday, March 14, 2013

An Orlando Roof Contractor Uses Energy Star Roofing Products

By Brown Jack


An Orlando Roof Contractor, Roof Top Services of Central Florida, Inc. offers Energy Star Roofing products to help reduce the cooling load in homes. These products are designed to reflect heat instead of absorbing it. As a result, the material not only protects the home from rain but also from the heat.

Currently in the USA, 90% of all roofing materials have a dark surface. When the sun is shining brightly, the surface of these materials may be warmed almost 100 degrees above the air temperature. This heat has a negative consequence when operating AC systems.

Selecting a cooler roofing material offers both short and long term benefits. By installing the new materials, there is an immediate drop in the cooling load of the structure. On the average, occupants can save up to 15% on the annual bill to cool a home. In addition, keeping the materials cooler ensures they have the longest life, as heat is one of the primary enemies of most roofs.

Often homeowners express a concern that any reduction in energy consumption in the summer is offset by increases in the winter. While climate will affect one's overall savings, even buildings located near the Canadian border experience savings with Energy Star roofing materials. In warm areas, such as Florida, the occupants will enjoy even more savings.

Solar heat can cause roofing materials to break down more quickly. High temperatures, along with the variations that take place from night to day and seasonally can be very damaging to the membrane used to support roofing products. With the cool roofs that reduce the extremes, the damage to the product can also be reduced. Look for coverings that reduce UV and IR radiation to ensure the longest life of the product.

Sunlight that strikes a white surface at the top of a building is reflected back. Most of the heat passes back through the earth's atmosphere and returns to space. However, when it strikes a dark surface is absorbed. The energy is converted to the longer wavelengths known as heat. Heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and adds to the problem of global warming.

While Energy Star roofing is important for single family homes, it may be even more important for commercial structures. These buildings often have large flat roofs. The flat surface increases the heat absorbed due to the fact that sunlight hits the surface with its greatest intensity at the time it is directly overhead, causing even more heat gain. On single story buildings, this heat can increase operation costs, diminishing the overall profit gains. The impact of making these conversions on commercial buildings can greatly lower global warming.

To be effective at reducing energy consumption and protecting the structure, Energy Star roofing must be installed properly. Help from professional roofers can allow any special issues in a building to be addressed, reducing the number of leaks. Roof Top Services of Central Florida, Inc., offers consumers an Orlando Roof contractor with experience in installing these materials correctly.




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