The only way to keep cool is to switch up the air conditioning or to prevent your roof getting so hot in the first place. The way to achieve that is through insulation, and the most effective type of insulation for the exterior of a roof is a heat reflective roof paint. A good insulating paint can reduce your roof temperature by up to 40 degrees: just think of what that would mean in terms of a reduction in the amount of heat conducting and radiating into your roof space, and then to the rest of the house.
In fact, in measurable terms, that temperature reduction is just over 20 degrees. Imaging a 20 degree reduction in your room temperature and what that can mean in terms of hard cash spent on air conditioning costs! A whole 20 degrees is a lot of heat to remove using an air conditioning unit, when all you need is a coat of paint to achieve the same result. Roof painters that stress the savings are, in this case, totally correct because heat reflective paints can save you a lot of money.
However, keeping you cool is not the only benefit offer by heat reflective roof paints. There is also the benefit of extra waterproofing just in case the hot sun changes to a storm. Your roof is not only insulated and reflective, but also protected from the weather. The insulation and reflection help to keep heat in during the winter and heat out during the summer months and so save you money all year round. In fact some people can save up to 50% on their air conditioning costs.
A hidden benefit is a reduction in the thermal shock cause by continual expansion and contraction of your roofing materials that reduces the lifetime, not only of your roof coating, but also of the entire roof itself. Not only that, but they can also be used to restore your roof. If your roof is cracked or damage, these paints will repair and restore it, and they are generally available in a wide colour range. If you want to restore and insulate your roof, heat reflective paints are definitely the least expensive option, but by no means a lower quality one.
Then there is the environment. Because your home is made more energy efficient, you will be using less electricity to stay cool in the summer and less heating to keep warm in the winter. This gives your home running costs an economical carbon footprint due to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. This has been proved by means of tests carried out by universities, and whether you do it yourself or employ roof painters, you will not only be saving money but also saving the planet.
All of these advantages seem almost too good to be true, and you likely think that the cost is going to be prohibitive, yet that is not the case. In fact reflective paints are available at very similar prices to normal roof paints, and you don’t need any special skills or equipment to apply them: you can do it yourself or hire a regular roof painter.
When purchasing such paints, you should take the time to check out the specification of the roof paint, since each manufacturer uses their own method of making them reflect heat and cool the roof surface. A good paint can last a long time, and it is not unknown for heat reflective paints to be effective for up to 30 years.
The reflective value of each colour can be different, and is expressed in terms of TSR (Total Solar Reflection). The higher the TSR figure, the cooler your home will be and the more money you will save. Heat reflective roof paint has the unusual property of saving you money in both heating and cooling your home, and it is important to select the correct paint for the job. If you want to stay cool and insulate your home, then heat reflective roof paints is the ideal roof covering for you.