Black Roofs Vs White Roofs

by Rhoden RoofingMar 24, 2021

When it comes to commercial roofing, most business owners prefer a roof that is easy to install, requires minimal maintenance, affordable, and protects the everyday business activities going on underneath from the outside environment.

The color of a commercial roof is probably last on the list of priorities of business owners. But what many may not know is that the color of your roof has a significant impact on your business below.

The color of your commercial roofing system affects how much heat is absorbed into the building, its ability to withstand harsh UV rays, how much heat it contributes to its surrounding environment and your energy bills at the end of the month.

While you can paint or coat your commercial roof any color you’d like, the most common commercial roofing colors are black and white. Today, we’ll be discussing the differences between these commercial roofing colors and how they may benefit your commercial roof and your business.

Black Commercial Roofing

Black commercial roofing options are typically made from modified bitumen, EPDM, or rubber roofing materials. Black naturally attracts heat; therefore, black commercial roofing systems are great for businesses in colder climates. By drawing heat, your black roof is more likely to keep your building warm and lower your energy bills.

This heating feature also reduces snow and ice forming on your roof and therefore reduces your maintenance costs and efforts.

However, black commercial roofing systems still need to be maintained as the accumulation of dirt and debris on your roof will drastically reduce the roof colour’s advantages.

If your business is located in a warmer climate, you may want to reconsider installing a black commercial roof. Your black roof will lead to you spending more money on air conditioning and contribute to the heat island effect.

White Commercial Roofing

White commercial roofing systems are usually made from TPO, PVC, or white coated metal roofing materials. Commonly referred to as the “cool roof”, white roofs are a great addition to businesses in warmer climates. They are capable of effectively reflecting light and heat away from your commercial roof. This reflection helps keep your commercial building cool, thus helping you save on your energy bills.

However, much like black commercial roofing, to reap the benefits of a cool roof, you need to keep your white roofing system well maintained and free of any dirt and debris.

As great as white commercial roofs are at keeping your building cool, they’re not the best at keeping your building warm in winter. You may end up spending more on heating your commercial building with a white roof.

When it comes to ice and snow formation, white roofing, unfortunately, is not as great as black roofing at getting rid of it. Snow and ice need to be removed as soon as possible because standing water can deteriorate your commercial roofing system.

Whichever color you decide to go for, rest assured that Rhoden Roofing will do an excellent job at installing your commercial roof. For all your roofing needs, give Rhoden Roofing a call today!

This article is part of our ‘Low Slope and Commercial Materials’ Series. Learn more about: