A cool roof is built with materials that retain less heat by reflecting sunlight. They stay cooler than traditional roofs, which keeps the building’s interior at a more comfortable temperature. They are built and coated with highly reflective materials.

They work by reflecting sunlight off the roof back into the atmosphere to a greater extent than regular roof surfaces. When solar radiation makes contact with solar roofs, they perform the following functions:

• Reflect part of the solar radiation back into the atmosphere
• Conducts part of the heat into the building
• Convects part of the heat to the ambient air
• Emits part of the absorbed heat to internal surfaces and back to the sky

Yes, both new and existing buildings can have cool roofs added to them! For adding cool roofs to existing buildings, you can minimize the additional expense by adding the retrofit roof when the building is due for a re-roofing.

They’re important because solar radiation can cause buildings to overheat if their exterior materials have a high solar absorptance. If your roof can’t reflect the sun’s heat, it’s going to be much warmer inside the home, causing you to use your air conditioner more often. Urban areas with high solar absorption surfaces will make that area’s average temperature higher than the surrounding less populated areas. This temperature change is known as the urban heat island effect. Cool roofs are a cost-effective and simple solution to urban city heating problems.

The Solar Reflective Index (SRI) is a measure of the roof’s ability to reflect solar heat. It determines how hot the surface is likely to become when in contact with solar radiation. The lower the SRI, the hotter the material will get in the sun.

We recommend getting a licensed, bonded, and insured roofing professional or cleaning company to clean your roof. You want to ensure it’s done by professionals so that they can remove all dirt, mildew, or moss from the surface of your roof without damaging the tile.

The chalky substance is the result of your roof tiles undergoing a natural process called efflorescence. It’s a temporary surface condition that is common with all concrete products. The chemical nature of cement causes it to happen and in no way affects its quality, function, or structural integrity. It’s difficult to estimate how long the effects of efflorescence will last, but rainwater and carbon dioxide will gradually remove the deposits, leaving the tile’s original color intact.

Over time, concrete roof tiles do fade a little bit from exposure to the outdoor elements. Their color can appear lighter; however, this color change occurs to a lesser degree than with most other roofing materials. You can rejuvenate and prolong the finish with periodic cleaning and resealing.

The majority of modern-day residential and commercial buildings will require little to no additional bracing. If they do require support, it is usually a very small portion of the total project bill. An engineer can help determine if your home or business can support the weight or if it needs additional bracing.

Because concrete roof tiles have superior durability, sustainability, and Class A fire rating, they are more expensive than wood shakes or heavyweight asphalt shingles. The price of roofing tiles may vary depending on product selection and location. To find out the cost for your home, give us a call at (855) 779-1413 or schedule a free consultation on our website.