FAQs About Metal Roofing
Q. What makes cool metal roofing a sustainable product?
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The EPA defines sustainability as “the ability to achieve continuing economic prosperity while protecting the natural systems of the planet and providing a high quality of life for its people.”
Some may call this “environmental friendliness” or “ecological efficiency”. Cool metal roofing is a sustainable building product for several reasons:
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Q. How can a Metal Roof save energy?
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Many conventional roofing materials, asphalt shingles, for example, absorb energy from the sun. Metal, on the other hand, reflects most of the sun’s rays. At day’s end, metal also cools more quickly. As a result, the attic space remains cooler, as does the living space below. Conventional roofing materials tend to absorb and retain heat, therefore requiring more energy to maintain a cooler living space.
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Q. Can I install a Metal Roof over my existing roof?
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Yes. Because of the light weight of metal, it is easily installed over existing roofing materials, without the disposal problems commonly associated with re-roofing projects. And, because Metal roofing panels are installed in sheets, labor cost for installation are kept to a minimum.
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Q. Will it look good?
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We recognizes that appearance is a major factor in the choice of roofing material. To ensure that the benefits of metal go beyond longevity and durability, Metal roofing companies offer a highly diversified line of roofing products offers the homeowner a wide variety of styles, colors, and finishes.
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Q. Will it make noise when it rains?
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Modern metal roofing is often installed directly over plywood decking and felt or an existing roof. Therefore, any noise generated by rain will be similar to that created by conventional roofing materials. Also, as with conventional materials, attic insulation will provide additional noise reduction.
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Q. Will it cost more than conventional roofing?
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Although the initial cost of metal is higher, the life-cycle costs are substantially lower than conventional materials. The decision to select metal is often based upon the fact that the homeowner either doesn’t want to or can’t afford to replace their conventional roof every 10 to 12 years. Metal, on the other hand, will provide years of low maintenance service life.
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Q. What is a cool metal roof?
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Cool roofing is defined differently by various performance criteria in codes, standards, and incentive programs. In general, a cool roof is one that has relatively high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance.
During the daylight hours, a roof is constantly subjected to solar energy striking its surface. The term “Solar Reflectance” is a measure of the amount of that solar energy that is immediately reflected from the surface. It is not reflected heat, but reflected electromagnetic energy from the sun. Solar reflectance is reported as a decimal (0 – 1.00) or as a percentage (0-100%). The solar energy that is not reflected away from the surface is absorbed into the outer surface of the roof product and is converted into heat. The heat can be removed by convection as air flows over the surface, or by conduction through the roof material into the sheathing below. The energy that is left can also be re-emitted to the night sky in the form of infrared energy. That re-emitted energy is referred to as thermal emittance, which is also expressed as a decimal (0 – 1.00) or as a percentage (0-100%).
A cool metal roof with high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance would have a lower surface temperature as compared to a roof with low reflectance and low emittance. In the case of a cool metal roof, a lower surface temperature translates into less heat gain into the attic space or living space below the roof. The result is a cooler living space and lower cooling/heating energy consumption. |
Q. What is Energy Star and how does it apply to cool metal roofing?
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EPA’s Energy Star® program is familiar to many homeowners who see the label on appliances and electronic equipment. Energy Star now has a Roof Products component for cool roofing. A roof that meets the Energy Star performance requirements is considered one that is cool and helps to reduce urban heat island effects. The criteria for an Energy Star labeled roof are:
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Q. Do cool metal roofs really save a building owner energy and money?
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed calculators that estimate the energy savings of cool roofs compared to dark conventional roof products. The data from these calculators can give an indication of the savings that are possible with cool roofs. However, the real proof of how a cool roof can save energy is based on actual installations.
There are real-world case studies that demonstrate cool metal roofing’s ability to save money on cooling and heating bills. A Georgia school district constructed two identical 90,000 ft2 schools and maintained the thermostats at the district office. The construction of the schools was identical except for the type of roof. On one school, a prepainted metal roof from Architectural Metal Systems was installed with an Evergreen color (solar reflectance of 0.12) and on the second school, a prepainted metal roof was installed with the same color but featuring special pigments in the paint system that increased solar reflectance to 0.29. (paint systems were provided by BASF). After the first year of operation, the school district showed a $8000 savings in cooling/heating utilities at the school with the cool prepainted metal roof. In another case study conducted in Florida in 2000, Florida Power Light in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity, studied homes with different types of roofs to determine the effect on the electricity cost. Habitat for Humanity built homes of identical size and floor plan with asphalt shingle, barrel tile, terra cotta tile, flat tile and painted metal. The homes were monitored over four months in the summer before they were occupied, and the thermostats were set at 72º F to maintain constant indoor air temperature. The white painted cool metal roof showed a 23% savings in cooling costs compared to the asphalt shingle roof. This was the highest savings of all the roof products tested. |
Q. Are there any tax incentives associated with the purchase of a new metal roof?
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The 2013 Stimulus Package provides substantial tax credits to homeowners who installed a painted or coated Energy Star® labeled metal roof. Homeowners that installed qualified roofs in 2012 and 2013 may be eligible for a tax credit worth up to 10% of the materials cost (materials only) up to $500 per home.
How to receive the tax credit: Confirm that the metal roof you select is a painted or coated Energy Star-labeled metal roof and obtain certification from your contractor or McElroy Metal. Verify the metal roof was installed between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013. Fill out IRS Form 5695 when filing your taxes for 2012 and/or 2013. |