Cool Roof Shingles

At a recent builders’ show in Las Vegas, roofing companies showed their lines of uniquely colored, dimensional, premium cool roof shingles. Most of these shingles meet and even exceed California Title 24 Cool Roof and initial Energy Star reflective requirements, and are rated by the Cool Roof Rating Council. Therefore, you have an abundant supply of cool roof shingles and other materials to choose from.

You can save energy, lessen the threat of electrical blackouts and reduce your local urban heat island effect, all by installing cool roof shingles to replace your old roofing material. Cool roof shingles are traditionally white or light colored, so they reflect sunlight instead of absorbing it and converting it into heat. They reduce electrical demand during the critical mid-afternoon and early evening hours, when the demand for air-conditioning is at its peak, and most blackouts and brownouts occur.

Several companies are now offering additional colors in their arrays of roofing shingles. The broader color palettes will allow roofing suppliers to put forward cool alternatives without compromising aesthetics. Manufacturers generally use reflective granule technology to ward off the sun’s rays and lower the surface temperature of the roof. Besides the CCRC and Energy Star ratings, you should also ensure that your shingles have a high fire-resistance rating.

If you’d like to install a cool roofing system, check with your local building authority: some states offer rebates for using green building materials. Almost 60 million square feet of cool roofing was installed in California under the statewide rebate program a few years ago. The Cool Roof Rating Council has more than doubled its list of rated products as manufacturer participation increases. Cool roof shingles are most useful for a house located where there is hot and sunny weather during at least part of the year. You will see paybacks if you use a considerable amount of cooling energy and you have problems maintaining your comfort level.