There are currently novel construction products available that can help you actualize an energy-efficient and eco-friendly home.
Eco-Friendly Roofing Materials
There are several choices of eco-friendly roofing materials are available for sale. Each of these options differs and has its advantages and disadvantages. The roof that best suits your home is dependent on certain distinct conditions. However, there is a catalog of several choices to choose from, alongside what you should know about each option.
1. Cool Roofs
The cool roof is an example of an eco-friendly roof and is increasingly becoming popular among users. These roofs can reflect the sun’s rays because of a mixture of white glue and gravel. This reduces the amount of heat that makes its way into the building, thus reducing the dependency on air conditioners and electricity. The cool roofs also have longevity compared to the traditional roofs because of the unique materials used to make them.
Although cool roofs are most valuable in places susceptible to a high amount of heat and sunlight, the cost of its initial installation is relatively high, thus needs to be put into consideration. More so, if installed in an area with elevated temperature coupled with high humidity, this can create room for mold growth and can cause damage to the roof.
2. Wood Shingles
Among the eco-friendly roofs, wood shingles are famous for their distinct homely look. Wood shingle roofing has often been a very long-lasting material, with options of different colors, however easy to stain. They classify as eco-friendly because of their recyclability into wood products that people can reuse in their homes for other purposes.
If you do not reside in an environment close to a wood mill, you may find wood shingles to be particularly expensive. One other drawback is that wood shingles do not last for an extended period, as they tend to require replacement every 15 to 20 years. Furthermore, they need an ample amount of care to ensure that they do not rot or create room for molds, mildew, or any form of damage.
3. Metal Roofing
Metal roofing is also a common eco-friendly roofing material created from new or reused metals. Like cool roofs, metal roofing materials possess reflective features that return the sun’s rays as it hits the surface of the metal roof. These metal roof characteristics help cool the home, with less reliance on air conditioners that may be expensive. Also, metal roofs have a long durability, are not expected to damage soon, and exist in various alloys and designs, making them a suitable roofing choice.
Metal roofing is not relatively cheap, although it is one of the more common eco-friendly roofing options. It can be specifically noisy, especially during heavy storms, where it can also be vandalized or damaged. More so, with time, the color of the metal roofs may fade off as they become worn out. If you wish to sustain visual consistency, you will have to replace the damaged metal tiles which may be difficult and you will need to hire a professional San Diego roofing contractor to take care of it.
4. Clay Tiles
one of the eco-friendly roofs you may consider is clay tiles. The tiles take different colors and designs and offer other advantages such as being energy-efficient, allowing the circulation of hot air instead of trapping it. Similar to metal roofing, it requires relatively low-maintenance. Moreover, it is easy to repair the tiles if they get broken.
Sadly, unlike the other eco-friendly roofing materials discussed in this article, clay tiles are quite expensive to install. The installation can be complicated, and because of the weight of the tiles, and it may require extra architectural support to prevent the building from collapsing due to the added weight of the clay tiles.
5. Slate Tiles
If you need extraordinary long-lasting roofing, then look no further than slate tiles. These well-built tiles offer a remarkable and impressive appearance, durability, incombustible, as well as their general eco-friendly style. The slate roof can be made more energy-efficient by applying special tile coatings. The slate roofing is good-looking; however, it is strenuous to fix and needs an expert’s services to correctly carry out the installation. Finally, similar to clay tiles, it is necessary to get additional structural support for the safe installation of slate roofing because of its bulky weight.
6. Solar Roofing
One of the current, contemporary eco-friendly roofing options is solar roofing. It appears in various forms, such as solar panels fixed on an already made roof or tiles that constitute the roof itself. Although the initial installation cost is enormous, it will save the homeowners some electricity bills in the long run. This is because the solar panels can absorb sun rays, converting the solar energy to electric energy to provide electric power. Maintaining solar roofing is almost free, and the roofing is very durable. Owners of a solar roof can have their tax cut-off.
As earlier stated, one of the drawbacks limiting the use of solar roofing is its high cost of installation. It is also only valuable in areas with a relatively adequate amount of sunlight.
7. Living Roofs
The living roof is eccentric eco-friendly roofing with distinct characteristics. Unlike shingles, or the regular slates and tiles, living roofs are characterized by a garden-like feature at the top of the buildings. This outstanding feature makes them one of the most-eco-friendly roofing choices. In addition to their aesthetics, living roofs have long-lasting durability, enhance the building’s temperature performance, and enhance air quality within the area.
8. Synthetic Shake Shingles
Finally, one of the eco-friendly roofing materials currently available for sale is synthetic shake shingles. Produced from various materials, such as CeDUR’s, synthetic shingles contain polyurethane materials that confer several characteristics: highly durable, class A fire-resistance, and class 4 impact-resistant. Aside from that, they provide insulation properties to homes, allowing the homeowners to reduce reliance on their HVAC systems. In comparison to other eco-friendly roofing choices, they are quite affordable and require little or no maintenance.
Selecting the Best Eco-Friendly Roofing Material
There are advantages of choosing eco-friendly roofing materials for your house. Foremost, compared to the average roof, eco-friendly roofs are more sturdy and long-lasting, implying that your investment will be there for you for a more extended period. The eco-friendly roof is more appealing to the environment, more energy-efficient, keeping the house cooler and reducing the dependency on cooling and heating systems. Therefore, it is sustainable as lesser greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, thus cutting down your carbon footprint.