If you’re looking for a way to improve the energy efficiency of your Baltimore area home, whether it’s to reduce your carbon footprint or to reduce your energy costs (or both), then you may want to consider investing in a cool roof. Here at Park Heights Roofing, we carry two types of cool roof shingles manufactured by CertainTeed – Landmark Solaris cool roof shingles and Presidential Solaris cool roof shingles.
What is a Cool Roof?
Cool roofs have two main features that distinguishes them from standard roof types – they are able to reflect the visible, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths of the sun, which in turn helps to reduce the amount of heat that is absorbed by your home, and they have a high thermal emittance, which means that they can radiate absorbed or non-reflected solar energy. The following are a few of the benefits of having a cool roof:
- Improve indoor comfort – Since heat is reflected away from the house, a cool roof can help keep your home cool in the summers.
- Reduce energy costs – Darker roofs tend to absorb heat during the summers, which forces air conditioning systems to work more and harder to compensate for the added heat. With a cool roof, your air conditioner won’t have to work as much, which means you’ll use less energy.
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions – By reducing your energy use, you’ll help to reduce your carbon footprint. Cool roofs have shown that they help decrease the production of associated green house emissions and air pollution.
Generally, cool roofs exhibit a lighter shade of color and are even white. This is because darker colors tend to absorb more heat. However, in recent years companies such as CertainTeed have been able to produce darker colored cool roof products.
Landmark Solaris Cool Roof Shingles
Landmark Solaris shingles are solar reflective, steep slope asphalt shingles. They boast advanced roofing granules that will reflect solar energy and radiate heat substantially better than typical shingles. They are rated by the CRRC (Cool Roofing Rating Council) and are manufactured using two-piece laminated fiber glass-based construction.
Presidential Solaris Cool Roof Singles
Like Landmark Solaris shingles, Presidential Solaris shingles are also solar reflective, steep slope asphalt shingles that use advanced colored granules. The main difference between CertainTeed’s two cool roof products is that Presidential Solaris shingles are designed to look like wood shakes. This means that if you’re looking to create a charming, rustic sort of aesthetic, you won’t have to settle for actual wood shakes, which are less durable, less strong and much less solar reflective.
As you can see, cool roofing products are an excellent way to improve home comfort and reduce your energy costs. However, whereas traditionally cool roofing products were only available in lighter shades, CertainTeed offers more aesthetic options with its Landmark Solaris and Presidential Solaris shingles.
For more information about our roofing services or about our CertainTeed cool roof shingle products, be sure to contact us at Park Heights Roofing in Baltimore today.