Are you looking desperately at your energy bill and wondering how it gets that high? The answer is just a window away. Simply look at the weather outside. Or better yet, step out into the sun and feel the heat wave enclose your body. The outdoor temperature is simply unbearable. Thanks to your faithful cooling system, your home is nice and comfortable on the inside. But that comfort comes with a hefty price tag!

According to Energy.gov’s updated statistics on energy use, Americans spend more than $11 billion annually on air conditioning, while releasing around 100 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year. This kind of consumption is neither green to the environment nor to your wallet. However, you can effectively reduce your cooling bill by upgrading to an energy efficient metal roof this summer.

Metal Does Not Absorb Heat Like Asphalt

There is a strong correlation between weight and heat absorption. The weight of a roofing material can tell you a lot about its energy efficiency. Heavier objects tend to have higher thermal mass than lighter objects, enabling them to store energy and release it at a very slow rate.

Made of either recycled felt paper or fiberglass mat, your asphalt shingles are coated with ceramic granules and typically weigh about 2 to 5 pounds per square. Metal roofs, on the other hand, are made of strong metal materials like steel or aluminum and usually weigh around 1.5 pounds per square. The fact that metal roof is lightweight means that it not only has lower thermal mass than asphalt shingles, but also can radiate heat at a faster speed. As How Stuff Works confirms, metal is your cool roof for summer. “Asphalt shingles absorb a lot of heat, and that heat doesn’t stop at the roofline; it streams into the structure and increases the indoor temperature by 20 to 25 degrees.”

What can a Metal Roof do for Me?

The benefits of a metal roof do not stop here. Metal roofs not only refuse to absorb heat, but also can effectively reflect incoming solar radiation right back to the atmosphere. As Home Tips explains, a metal roof can redirect radiant solar heat away from the roof to minimize midday heat gain and save your air conditioning from working too hard.

As Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Buildings Technology Center reported in one of its studies, metal roofs can greatly mitigate urban heat island effects, reduce urban temperatures by as much as 12 ° F, and save you up to 40% in cooling costs. They demonstrate exceptional durability, energy efficiency, and versatility. Referred to as the “forever roof,” metal roofs can easily last for more than five decades with virtually no upkeep on your part.

Summer’s the Time for Metal Roof

Whether it is summer or winter, a metal roof is the perfect roofing solution all year-round. But if you are genuinely interested in seeing a difference in your cooling bill this summer, then don’t wait another day under a heat-absorbing roof.