Why Metal is the Eco-Friendliest Roofing Material
By Stacy MelleteRegardless of its color, metal is the greenest roofing material. Its environmental friendliness is one of the factors behind its rising demand, becoming the second most sought-after replacement option for homes.
Why do environmentalists approve of metal roofing? Affordable Roofing Systems shares the three biggest reasons:
It Lowers Your Home’s Carbon Footprints
Most metal roofing systems are “cool”. It could cut about 40% of your home’s annual energy expenses, keeping your cooling costs from going through your roof. Thanks to its reflective surface, it would send most of the sun’s infrared rays back to the sky. In fact, even an uncoated metal roof would reflect much of the solar radiation typically absorbed by other materials.
Other than less use of energy, low summer cooling costs mean a low carbon footprint generated by your household. Since greenhouse gases are the primary cause of climate change, investing in a green roofing system lets you do your share to slow down this global phenomenon.
It Makes Your Neighborhood Less of a Heat Island
In warmer areas, a pre-painted or granular-coated metal roof reflects most of the sun’s heat and re-emits up to 90% of solar radiation it absorbs. By transferring less energy into the air, an exceptionally emissive roof can mitigate the urban heat island effect by up to 12°F.
Since heat islands increase the demand for electrical energy, reliance on fossil fuels heightens too. Power plants would then work harder to meet high demands, producing air pollutants, including carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, which helps form smog. With the negative effects of living in an urban heat island to your comfort and health, a metal roof installation makes an even sounder investment.
It Helps Conserve Natural Resources
Any experienced roofing contractor considers metal a “forever” roof. It’s one of the toughest roofing materials you could buy, delaying the need for re-roofing. To put things into perspective, average asphalt shingle roofs need to be changed about two to four times as often as their average metal counterparts.
Best of all, metal roofing systems comprise about 25% to 95% recyclable content. At the end of their service life, they wouldn’t end up as landfill waste. Rather, 100% of them could be repurposed into brand-new products. In short, supporting metal roofing helps conserve our precious, limited natural resources.
As a certified metal roofing contractor for Drexel and Gerard in Tampa and St. Petersburg, FL, Affordable Roofing Systems guarantees the success of your project. To get your free estimate, call us today at (813) 542-8462.