Look Up to be Green

     When looking around on how to make your home or business more energy efficient it may be best to actually look up.  Not at those new compact florescent or snazzy LED bulbs that you just put into your ceiling can lighting, but rather take a walk outside.  Look up past those nice double paned windows that you spent a fortune on and look all the way up to your roof.  Yes, that thing that most people take for granted until it starts to leak.      

     That lowly and neglected roof is your very first defense for your home or business against escalating utility bills.  Believe it or not, that roof of yours takes the brunt of the baking summer heat and then it get blasted in the winter with rain and snow.  The daily thermal cycling that it receives is the main reason on why it fails.  When the time comes to replace your roof it may be best to consider one very simple and cost effective suggestion that will make you and your wallet happy in the long run.  

     The fine people in the State of California may be slightly off kilter in their thinking compared to the rest of the United States.  However, California does get many things right in relation to the environment and energy efficiency.  A while back the California Energy Commission realized that lighter colored roofs, known as Cool Roofs, make a significant difference in keeping buildings cool.  This can be as much as 100 degrees Fahrenheit on a hot day.  With this, less heat is transferred into the building below through attics spaces and air condition ducting.  The simple concept of reflecting heat from the roof was found to significantly reduce energy costs for property owners.  The Cool Roofs have added benefits as well.  They were found to increase occupant comfort during hot summer days.  As well, the Cool Roofs have helped surrounding communities by reducing heat islanding effects. 

     The light coatings on Cool Roofs helps reduce the thermal expansion and contraction of the roof.  This dramatically expands the life of the roof which reduces maintenance and replacement costs for the building owners.  Better yet, homeowners can not take full advantage of Cool Roofs since they are now available in residential applications.  New Cool Roofs can be found in standing seam metal roofs, tile roofs and asphalt shingle roofs.  So, do your home or business a favor and consider Cool Roof.

www.green-roof-group.com

The Green Roof Group

Your Los Angeles based Sustainable Contractor