(316) 927-2233The world is becoming more environmentally conscious, and people are becoming aware of how their everyday lives affect the environment. As a result, there has been an increase in buzzwords and phrases describing this new eco-conscious movement. These words can become confusing after a while with so many going around – it’s hard to keep up sometimes.
One buzzword popping up in the roofing industry is sustainable roofing. A sustainable roof is energy efficient and produces clean energy as well.
No material can be 100% environmentally friendly, but some are closer to that 100% than others. Some materials may be found naturally, but their extraction process may be damaging to the environment. The creation of other materials may fall a little short when it comes to sustainability, but they significantly reduce your carbon footprint thanks to their longevity.
Several things influence whether your roofing system is sustainable or not. While we can’t speak for everything, we can give you more information about what precisely a sustainable roof may look like.
Sustainable Roofing
There are many ways that home and business owners can introduce sustainable materials and practices into their roofing systems. These include:
Adequate Roof Ventilation and Insulation
The installation of sufficient insulation will improve your home’s ventilation and thus help you save money on your heating and cooling bills. This is because the two regulate your home’s temperature, so installing enough roofing insulation and adequately ventilating your home can significantly reduce how much energy your house consumes.
According to James L. Hoff, research director for the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing in Washington, D.C, if all home and business owners had properly insulated roofing systems, the amount of energy saved by the US could reach 700 trillion Btu.
Effective Stormwater Catchment
Worrying about water on your roof is a common issue for homeowners, but it’s not as hard to fix as you might expect. The best way to make sure that the excess moisture gets out of there and away from your home? Invest in premium gutters! Sloped roofs are also beneficial when it comes to getting rid of all those pesky puddles.
However, did you know that you could do more with the water draining away from your home? You could use it as irrigation for your garden or even in your swimming pool. You can make your roofing system that much more sustainable by investing in a proper stormwater catchment.
Eco-Friendly Roofing Materials
If you’re looking for a roof that offers great benefits in terms of sustainability, metal roofs are the best way to go. Not only do they have an impressively long lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements, but it’s often made up of recycled metals which can be reused or recirculated at their end-of-life date – not like other materials on the market that instantly turns into waste once its reaches the end of its lifespan.
However, we’re aware that metal roofing can be quite an expensive option. Luckily, it isn’t your only option. Thanks to the developments in asphalt shingle technology, you’re now able to recycle your old asphalt shingle roofing. These shingles are recycled and used as sidewalk paving. You can, therefore, rest assured that your old shingles will not end up in a landfill.
There are many ways to make your home a little greener. For more information, give Rhoden Roofing a call today!
This article is part of our ‘Residential/ Steep Slope Materials’ Series. Learn more about:
- Asphalt Composite Shingles
- Metal Roofing
- Wood/ Cedar Roofing
- Other
- Roof Component Materials
- Traditional “Organic” Felt vs Synthetic Underlayment: Which is better?
- What Is the Difference Between Open and Closed Valley Installation?
- Continuous Venting Ridge vs Static/Box Vents: Which is better?
- What Are the Benefits to a High Profile Hip and Ridge Shingle?
- What Is a Class 4 Rating? Who Makes That Determination?
