by United Roofing MN | Oct 27, 2011
Metal Roofing MN The residential metal roofing market represents the fastest growing segment of metal roofing. Residential homeowners are increasingly recognizing metal roofing’s advantages in durability, energy efficiency, and sustainability (green product). Cool Metal Roofing – The Energy Efficient Choice Additionally, recent advances in residential metal roof paint technology provide residential homeowners with a wide array of vibrant and long-lasting metal roofing colors to complement almost any roofing design of a residential home. And, by choosing a metal roof, you’ll save money and do your part for the environment. Conventional roofing products, including asphalt shingles, contribute an estimated 20 billion pounds of waste to U.S. landfills annually, whereas metal roofs can often be installed over an existing roof, eliminating the cost and eco-impact of tear-off and disposal. A Metal Roof Will Be The LAST ROOF You Will Ever Need! Many residential metal roofs now utilize reflective pigment technology, which results in overall home energy efficiency, and lower utility bills. In addition, all metal roofs are made from 30-60% recycled material. While your neighbors may re-roof their home many times, a high-quality metal roof will likely be the last roof you’ll ever need. Resistant to cracking, shrinking and eroding, metal roofing systems can also withstand extreme weather conditions including heavy snow loads, hail storms and wildfires. If you’re considering installing a metal roof in a new construction or retrofitting an existing building with a metal roof, understanding the fire ratings can help you make an informed decision about the roof. With all these benefits, why would you choose any other type of...
by United Roofing MN | Oct 25, 2011
Metal Roofing MN Is An Energy Efficient Option On a building or on a home, the roof has a major impact with the absorption of heat from sunlight (Solar Radiation). The heat is either reflected into the atmosphere or absorbed through conduction into the building. Any solar radiation that is absorbed will heat the roof’s surface. The more the solar radiation is absorbed, the greater the need to find alternative means to dissipate the heat. That’s where emittance comes into play. Emissivity is measures of the roof’s ability to shed absorbed heat. Reflective Pigment Technology The roof’s design (type, color, elevation) will determine how the heat is reflected and absorbed heat is emitted. “Cool” coating technology focuses on reflecting solar radiation (Solar Reflectivity), and shedding what heat is absorbed away from the surface (Thermal Emittance). Conduction – The passing of heat through a roof material into the layer in contact directly beneath the surface. Convection – The heating of the air that passes over a hot surface. Heat Flux – The amount of energy flowing through any surface Cool Coatings Coatings colored with conventional pigments tend to absorb infrared radiation. Replacing conventional pigments with “cool” pigments (absorb less infrared radiation) can yield similarly colored coatings with higher solar reflectance. Mainly, cool coatings lower roof surface temperatures, reducing the need for cooling energy in conditioned buildings and making unconditioned buildings more comfortable. How do the “cool” pigments work Source: Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory Pigments provide color by absorbing and reflecting different parts of the sun’s wavelength spectrum based on their chemistry. Color pigments selectively absorb visible light, and what light...