The roofing industry has seen plenty of modernization in its time, however roofing contractors today continue to innovate and use new materials and new technology in their work.
Biggest Advances In Roofing Technology
There have been advances in a number of areas, but here are some of the biggest and most influential advances in roofing technology that actually effect you as a customer.
Cool Roofs
If you live in warm areas like the Gulf Coast, especially warm weather states like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama – cool roofs can be extremely helpful to you as a homeowner.
But first, let’s talk about what a cool roof actually is. Cool Roofs are systems that are put in place that deliver a higher ability to reflect visible and invisible wavelengths of the sun. These roofs often use white or much lighter colors than a traditional dark-colored roof which alone can reduce the amount of heat that a roofing system absorbs.
However, as roofing technology continues to get better, companies are starting to develop cool roof technology that can still be darker color in hue so that homeowners can get the design that they desire.
These Cool Roofs are not limited to simply reducing the heat that is absorbed by a roof. These systems can actually help with how long a roof remains intact and adds durability to the structure as well.
Some other benefits include lowering cooling energy use and keeping utility bill costs low. This is a huge selling point for customers today as most people try to combat inflation and bills that are becoming out of control.
Cool Roofs also add a level of comfort indoors as some people don’t want to have to be blasting their AC just to feel comfortable.
As mentioned, cool roofs are much easier to maintain and can lower overall roof maintenance cost, which is helpful for consumers who don’t want to have to pay roofing contractors any more than they have to.
For those interested in an environmental sense, cool roofs can also decrease air pollution due to decreasing the impact of what is known as the “heat island effect” where many houses and structures together can start to raise the temperature moderately in a specific area.
If you live in a warm environment, you’d be crazy not to at least inquire about the benefits of getting a Cool Roof on your home and at least check out the pricing to see if you’d be able to take advantage of the benefits of a roof that can keep you cool, keep your costs down, and help the environment all at the same time.
Roof Insulation
The technology behind roofing insulation continues to get better each and every year. Insulation is more important than most customer realize in terms of what it actually brings to your overall roofing structure.
These days, insulation is being manufactured so that it can give your roof the absolute best effectiveness in preventing heat from entering from the outside in hot weather.
There’s a lot of insulation that can also provide noise reduction via new developments so that if you live somewhere with things like planes or factories, your insulation could actually be designed to help keep some of the noise out. It won’t be 100% sound-proof, but in those situations, you want to have everything working together as much as possible.
There are also new technologies that are allowing insulation to both strengthen the roof structure and work against precipitation so that your space can be protected against weather damage long-term.
At the end of the day, your job as a customer is to ask about roofing insulation to make sure that you are getting the products that are most helpful to your structure and your situation.
Flat Roof Membranes
While Flat Roof Membranes are not necessarily used on a traditional housing structures, they are an important part of the growing trend of roofing technology. These materials are most typically used on commercial properties and RV’s, but can still play a part in residential roofing as well if the slope is relatively flat on the roof of the structure.
These flat roof membranes provide a watertight seal and in some cases can last up to 30 years. That’s a whole lot of protection for structures, especially those who live in areas where you can see heavy rain and severe weather at times.
There are many different types of flat roof membranes including TPO, EPDM, PVC Roofing Membrane, Built-Up Roofs, and modified bitumen. PVC Roofing Membrane is one of the best types of roofing for those in warm climates because it is durable, puncture resistant, and most importantly reflects heat quite well. You’ll commonly see PVC Roofing Membrane in warm areas on buildings like airports or larger restaurants.
Built-Up Roofs are quite interesting as well. These are known as ‘tar and gravel’ roofs which have a lot of layers of alternating materials. These can be one of the most durable types of flat roof membranes thanks to all of the materials that are being used for the roofing.
When looking at all of these roofing membranes, you are probably looking at a cost anywhere from $4 per square foot up to $14 per square foot or more in some cases. However, these roof membranes can be long lasting with PVC lasting up to 20 years and a Built Up Roof lasting up to 15-30 years. These long-lasting roofs can help prevent against repeated roofing repairs which could end up saving consumers a lot of money in the long run instead of running into expenses regularly.
Fireproof Roofing
Roofing manufacturers are continuing to develop new technologies that can be helped to design roofs that are as fireproof as possible.
These experiments are still ongoing but have been successful in improving the materials that roofing contractors use each day in their work. Some experiments have even gone as far as to use volcanic rock in their roofing materials to try to stunt the spread of flames in tests.
Realistically, there are more common materials that roofing contractors use to make sure that the structures they are working on are as safe as possible. It’s best to ask specific questions to the people doing your work to get details about how the materials being used on your roof will effect the overall fireproofing of your structure.
Solar Roofs
Solar roofing is probably the #1 technology advancement that most consumers are familiar with. Most people have seen solar roofing in news articles or other media as a popular form of sustainable energy. However, it may also be something to consider for you as a homeowner.
Solar shingles are one of the newest materials that are being produced that appeal to many homeowners because they look more like a traditional roofing structure. This gets rid of one of the biggest concerns that homeowners have because their house is able to look ‘normal’ but still give the homeowners most of the benefits of a more ‘traditional’ solar roof.
At the end of the day, consumers have a lot to know when it comes to the newest advances in roofing technology, however getting informed is a wise choice because you’ll be able to make the best decisions when it comes to the newest technology available from building contractors today!
