Taking in the Heat: How Florida Summers Affect Roofing

Summers in Florida can be intense for your roof, because it is always exposed to the heat. Roofing contractors pinpoint sunlight exposure as one of causes of degradation. The heat affects your home’s energy efficiency.

The heat also causes different roofing materials to buckle, become brittle, and even shrink. It can shorten the service life of a roof. These issues are caused mainly by two types of radiation:

• Infrared – When the sun glares down on your roof, infrared rays bring heat. This hastens the chemical reaction that causes premature aging.
• Ultraviolet – These rays cause brittle, weathered, and cracked roofing.

Preventing Damage through Coating, Roof Color, and Material Choice

Having a cool roof can prevent damage caused by heat. It can keep a home comfortable, lessen energy costs, and prevent fast roof deterioration. You can get a cool roof through the following:

• Reflective coats – Residential and commercial roofing in Ft Lauderdale, FL, can come with special reflective pigments that reflect light. This type of coating does not only reflect ultraviolet rays, but it can also reduce the amount of absorbed heat from infrared rays.
• Color – White roofs can reflect more infrared rays compared with darker colored roofs. Roofs with lighter hues can last longer and lessen air-conditioning use.
• Roofing materials – Asphalt roofing can use specially coated granules that reflect solar heat better. Glazing or coating concrete tiles can also enhance their reflective properties. As for metal roofs, you can have them painted to increase both solar reflectance and thermal release.

When you have a cool roof installed, the temperature of your roof decreases, which can lead to a longer service life. It can also improve indoor comfort and energy efficiency. Cool Roofs can help the environment by reducing local air temperatures and power plant emissions.

If you are interested in a cool roof, call Earl W. Johnston Roofing, LLC today. We also offer preventive maintenance measures so that your roofing in Hollywood, FL will last a long time. We can coat your roofing with our specially formulated reflective coating, which is a mix of polymeric binder mixed with pigment and either silver or other additives.

We can coat your existing roof or have it coated during the manufacturing process. If you want to request a quote today, call us at (954) 989-7794. You can also fill out our contact form.