Does a roof affect energy costs?

Can a new roof save on skyrocketing energy costs?

A roof plays a significant role in maintaining optimal temperatures in your home. Several aspects affect how the roof directly influences the amount of hot or cold air that stays up inside your home. Let's have a look at some of the most important ones that affect energy cost.

Roofing Materials

Roofing materials are a crucial consideration when it comes to your home's indoor temperature and roof energy costs. Different roof materials reflect different amounts of heat, light and energy. Asphalt shingles, for example, only reflect 30% of the sun's light that hits your roof. That's why they typically trap more heat in the attic and roof area, leading to a warmer house in the winter. This feature can help you save money on heating costs, making asphalt shingles an excellent choice for those looking to reduce their energy bills.

If you want a comfortable home during the warmer months, roof materials that reflect light and heat from the sun are a great option. Light colors such as white, gray, and beige will protect your home from extreme temperatures, allowing for energy-efficiency in both the summer and winter. Premium shingles offer different absorptive qualities when it comes to reflecting light and heat, so choosing the right roof for your needs can be tricky. It's worth noting that roof materials don't behave differently depending on the season - if they reflect heat during the summer months, they'll also cool your home in the winter. Investing in quality roof materials is incredibly important to ensure your comfort all year round!

Choosing shingles

It can be tough to pick out the right color and pattern for your shingles (see our article on Types of asphalt roofing shingles). There are many options, and if you're not an expert or have previous knowledge of what works or doesn't work for your house, you can have a challenging experience throughout the process. 

When it comes to protecting your home, roof shingles play a very important role in the energy cost for your home as well. Though more expensive roof shingles may come with a longer warranty, finding the right roof shingle that fits your budget doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality. Choosing roof shingles depends on shape and angle of roof and can change depending on if it is a steep-pitched roof or not. Factors such as color, style and even environment all factor into the type of roof shingle you should choose for your home. The roof of your home should be considered well when deciding upon the type of roof shingle to use because it has a large impact in how resistant it is in harsh weather conditions.

Summer heat and roof energy costs

• Summer months pose threats to your roof.
• One of the threats that summer months pose to roofs is heat.
• UV rays from the sun can cause your roof to age and decay.
• Specifically, UV rays can cause your roof to bleach, weaken, and crack your roof.
• The heat from the sun can also cause shingles on your roof to buckle and split.
• Changes in your roof's temperature from day to night can cause your roof to weaken.
• Storms that occur during the summer can also cause damage to your roof.
• Storms bring hail damage with them, which can damage your roof and cause the shingles to weaken.
• Wind from the summer storms can also cause damage to your roof by damaging shingles, either by curling them up or ripping them off completely.
• Thankfully when summer storms damage your roof, your homeowners' insurance is there to cover the cost of replacing your roof.

Ventilation problems and roof energy costs

Curling or bucking roofing shingles usually indicate a problem with ventilation. When hot, moist air gets trapped in your attic, it can heat the shingles' underside, causing them to curl or buckle, making leaks more likely.Also, look for dark spots on the roof that missing shingles could cause.Missing shingles leave the underlayment exposed to elements.

Proper roof ventilation is crucial to your home; without it, your roof and the entire house could be damaged. Adequate ventilation helps homeowners' homes address and respond to heat and moisture that would otherwise cause significant damage. It is essential to know whether a home is adequately ventilated or not. Signs of improper ventilation include:

• A higher-than-normal bill for heating or air conditioning is usually caused by the homeowner's attic ventilation becoming wet and losing effectiveness. Mold can also be present due to this. If this occurs, the HVAC must work overtime.
• A rippled appearance can also become noticeable on the homeowner's roofline and shingles caused by the warping of moisture-damaged decking underneath. 
• Water stains on the inside roof are a sign of improper ventilation, along with evidence of the decay of the roof's structural supports and integrity. 
• If the homeowner, or their family members, seem to have worse allergy problems than usual, that could also be a sign of inadequate roof ventilation. It could mean their immune system has difficulty coping with the mold caused by poor roof ventilation.