Talking About Green

Reflective roof coatings are applied to the building roofs to reduce solar heat, mainly in places where the weather is hot and sunny weather most part of the year. They are also known as albedo coatings. Reflective roof coating acts like a mirror which reflects sun’s radiations back into the space. They provide a level of protection to roofs from the sun and weather. It greatly define green living culture in the society.

According to Lawrence Berkley Laboratory, California these coatings can save building and house owners at least 25 percent in energy usage.

The main advantages of reflective roof coating are:

• Reflective roof coatings contain pigments to block Ultra Violet rays so it can help to extend the roof’s life up to 12-15 years.
• This is very effective on buildings with low slope or flat roofs. As such roofs tend to absorb solar heat more than slanted roofs.
• Generally roof maintenance accounts for quite a lot of any building’s total maintenance cost, so reflective roof coating will result in substantial savings.
• These coatings reflect solar radiation and can reduce roof temperatures by up to 80ºF (about 45ºC). Hence, they help reduce the cooling costs and lower air conditioning bills.
• The reflective roof coating is the topmost layer of protection for the surface and hence it receives the full impact of sunlight (infrared and UV), rains, hail storms and any physical damage. It protects the roof membranes
  and gives longer roof life cycles.
• These coatings have the ability to help shed water and keep interiors dry.
• They have the ability to protect and elongate the roof life by reducing the “thermal shock” and damage associated with great temperature changes.
• Coatings with high-albedo percentage (like bright-white paint) are the most effective roof coatings. Over time roof coatings lose their reflectance properties so regular maintenance is a must in the form of reapplication or cleaning.

The initial price of reflective roof coatings is higher than a traditional roof but the savings it will give you on your energy bills will more than justify this expense. The reflective roof coatings generally pay for themselves in a couple of years.