In today’s economy, lowering everyday expenses is big on everyone’s mind. We at Martino Home Improvements understand this and want to help. So here are a few tips for making your roof energy efficient.
1. Color Your Shingles
In warm climates, light shingles will reflect light and ultraviolet waves to keep your home cool. In cold climates, dark shingles will help keep your home heated. Here in Michigan, we tend to swing back and forth between hot and cold with the seasons. This means that you have a choice to make. If your heating bill tends to be more than your cooling bill, you’ll want to go with dark shingles to lower your heating bill. If it’s the opposite, than light shingles will help to reduce your cooling bill. If you don’t need to replace your shingles just yet, you can color your shingles with paint made specifically for roofs.
2. Insulate
Insulation benefits any kind of climate. You can add insulation below the roof using blown-in insulation. You can also insulate by adding loose fill to the attic floor.
3. Install A Radiant Barrier
A radiant barrier is basically a flexible aluminum sheet that you can staple to the inside of your roof. It has a shiny surface that faces down to block the flow of infrared radiation from the roof. This keeps the house cooler, which is great for those hot summer months.
4. Garden On Your Roof
Rooftop gardens are a good way to get rid of heat and neutralize carbon emissions. This is a great option for a flat roof, but you need to make sure that your roof is able to handle the additional weight a garden would bring. Any roofing expert should be able to help you determine if your roof can handle it.
5. Install Solar Shingles
This option is for people with some money to burn. Solar shingles are shingles made of photovoltaic cells that use the sun’s rays to make electricity. While they are expensive, they can help save you money on your electric bills on sunny days.
If you are in the Southeastern Michigan area, we are an Oakland County based roofing company that prices itself on doing quality work for a fair price. If you are looking for a roof replacement or roof repair, give us a call today for a free estimate!
