How Cool Roof Works

Cool roofs reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than traditional roofs.

How cool roof works.

Cool roof coatings are white or special reflective pigments that reflect sunlight. This results in lower absorption of solar heat and a cooler roof. A cool roof is a roofing system that delivers higher solar reflectance the ability to reflect the visible infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun reducing heat transfer to the building and higher thermal emittance the ability to radiate absorbed or non reflected solar energy than standard designed roofing products. This lowers urban air temperatures and mitigates the urban heat island effect.

A cool roof is a roof designed to maintain a lower surface temperature in bright sunshine than a traditional roof source. On top of the rafters your roof has plywood followed by sheathing a material that s designed to protect your home from moisture. Cool roofs are designed to reflect sunlight while absorbing less heat. Coatings are like very thick paints that can protect the roof surface from ultra violet uv light and chemical damage and some offer water protection and restorative features.

It begins with the rafters and continues on in layers of protection that prevent water and the wind from damaging your home. Whereas darker traditional roofing materials absorb sunlight the reflective surfaces of a cool roof reflect it away. It also slows the formation of ground level ozone and smog. Cool roofs reduce the thermal radiation of heat into the atmosphere convection of heat into outside air and the conduction of heat into the building.

Many have anti slip technology to protect the people who install the roof and they can be exposed for up to six months while the roof gets built. Historically cool roofs have been either white or some other lighter shade color. How your roof works your roof is not just made up of a few shingles. How cool roofs work traditional dark colored roofing ma terials absorb sunlight making them warm in the sun and increasing the need for air conditioning.

A higher albedo means that a roof has a higher ability to reflect the sun s rays and thus reflects more sunlight than traditional roofs. White or special cool color roofs absorb less sunlight stay cooler in the sun and transmit less heat into the building. Traditional dark colored roofing materials strongly absorb heat from sunlight making them warm in the sun and heating the building. Compared to traditional roofs a reflective roof has a high albedo or solar reflectance.

On the other hand cool roofs stay cooler in the sun and transmit less heat into the building. Roof temperature is rated via solar reflectance and thermal emittance with ratings ranging between 0 and 1. There are many types of roof systems available but the surface exposed to the sun is the one that determines if a roof is cool or not.