The Math on Asphalt

You hope to get more than seven years out of your asphalt roof, so let’s use the higher number of 10 years for replacement and see your true costs.

Now the Metal Roof Math

The average, metal roofing costs tend to be about three times the cost of conventional asphalt roofs. The difference in cost is attributed to a much higher cost of metal roofing materials, permanent venting systems, lifetime underlayments, and sealants along with a highly technically involved installation process that requires specialized skills, and specific training for the metal roofing system being installed. Metal roofs are tedious and time-consuming to install. The average, metal roofs takes about three to four times longer to install than a conventional roof.

With that said, if we run the numbers on metal roofing, we still get a different story.

What the above tables do not reflect is the truth that metal roofs will also provide measurable energy savings where asphalt provides none. Many homeowners report 20% cooling costs savings with aluminum roofs and see a 10% reduction in heating costs. By drying the insulation in the attic through proper ventilation, heating bills are slashed. Although a metal roof does cost more initially, it will pay for itself by increasing the value of a building, providing notable energy savings, and does not need to be replaced in 7 -10 years.  Metal roofs actually last 40 years, and beyond!

Now you can be proud to have the best looking home on the block and have slashed your energy bills while eliminating worries forever!

We install metal roofing professionally according to NRCA standards and specifications.

learn more here

Metal roofing jackson mississippi

Dark materials absorb more heat from the sun–as anyone who has worn a black t-shirt on a sunny day knows. Black surfaces in the sun can become up to 70°F (40°C) hotter than the most reflective white surfaces. If those dark surfaces are roofs, some of the heat collected by the roof is transferred inside. Link to: Roof Heat Transfer

Staying comfortable in under a dark shingle roof often means more air conditioning and higher utility bills. These roofs also heat the air around them, contributing to the heat island effect. Conversely, cool roofs can reduce the heat island effect and save energy. In a study funded by the U.S. EPA, the Heat Island Group carried out a detailed analysis of energy-saving potentials of light-colored roofs in 11 U.S. metropolitan areas. About ten residential and commercial building prototypes in each area were simulated. We considered both the savings in cooling and penalties in heating. We estimated saving potentials of about $175 million per year for the 11 cities. Extrapolated national energy savings were about $750 million per year. Link to: Energy > Ways to Save Energy

The Heat Island Group has monitored buildings in Sacramento with lightly colored, more reflective roofs. We found that these buildings used up to 40% less energy for cooling than buildings with darker roofs. The Florida Solar Energy Center performed a similar study, also showing up to 40% cooling energy savings.

The Heat Island Group continues to monitor buildings and measure or simulate the effects of increased roof reflectivities for:
# different types of buildings,
# different climate zones and seasons, and
# different roof insulation levels, angles and orientations.
This important research is needed to find the best ways to save energy and money using reflective roofing.

Metal Roofing Jackson Miss

Also, materials specialist Paul Berdahl is developing a new rating system called the solar reflectance index (SRI) to measure how hot materials are in the sun. The extremes of white and black paint (on the graph above) define the solar reflectance index (SRI). Berdahl compiles and measures the solar reflectance and infrared emittance of roofing materials. Reliable summary data and information on heat transfer are posted on our web-based database. Go to: Cool Roofing Material Database We also collaborate with manufacturers to find ways to make roofing materials cooler. Link to: Collaboration with Industry Sample data for some examples of cool roofing materials are available. Link to: Cool Roofing Samples

Manufacturers have recently developed clean, “self-washing” white shingles with even higher SRIs–up to 62%. This is useful because the labor costs of maintaining the high albedo of a roof coating may exceed the cost of conserved energy. Link to: Wash Your Roof

Look for the SRI to start appearing on roofing products! Reroofing with shingles rated SRI 50% or higher will keep a home cooler and reduce energy bills. Reroofing offers a quicker and even less expensive method to cool your home than planting trees, as well as making our buildings and cities cooler and more comfortable.

For an overview of our research on cool roofing materials, link to: “Measurements and Database for Cool Roofing Materials”

To learn more about the instruments we use to characterize roofing samples, link to: Cool Roofs Instrumentation

Back to: Heat Island Group Home Page
This web page last modified by Brian Pon on April 27, 2000.
Questions? E-mail: SCChang@LBL.gov

#2 Shingle
A #2 shingle is cut the same lenghts and thickness as a #1 shingle. The face must be 10″ clear on the 16″ Fivex; 11″ clear on the 18″ Perfections; and 16″ clear on the 24″ Royals. Flatgrain and limited sapwood are allowed. Flatgrain can easily be detected by the grain designs on the face of the shingle. Limited knots and defects are allowed above the clear portion.
On a 4/12 or steeper pitched roof, #2 shingles are applied at 4″ for 16″; 4 1/2″ for 18″; and 6 1/2″ for 24″.
Most often it is used for reroofing, walls, and as a starter course.

#3 Shingle
A #3 grade shingle is cut in the same lengths and thickness as the #1 and #2 shingle. The face must be 6″ clear on the 16″; 6″ clear on the 18″; and 10″ clear on the 24″. Sapwood and flatgrain are allowed. Limited knots and defects are allowed above the clear portion.
On a 4/12 pitched or steeper roof, #3 shingles are applied at 3 1/2″ exposure for 16″; 4″ for 18″; and 5 1/2″ for 24″.
Used for the undercourse in a two course application, garden sheds, gazebos, walls for outbuildings, etc.
Heavy Split & Resawn Shake
A Split and Resawn Shake is sawn on the backside and the face is split with the natural grain of the wood giving the shake a highly textured surface on the exposed face. Also known as a Heavy Resaw, it is thicker and heavier than any other shake, giving the roof a very rugged or rustic appearance.
It is cut from clear heartwood, with no defects.
The shake is 3/4″ thick at the butt and is cut in two lengths – 18″ and 24″. On a 4/12 or steeper pitched roof, it is applied at 7 1/2″ for a 18″ shake and 10″ for a 24″ shake.

Medium Split & Resawn Shake
Cut in the same manner, the Medium Split and Resawn Shake is just not cut as thick or as heavy as the Heavy Split and Resawn Shake. Also known as a Medium Resawn, it gives the roof a very textured appearance.
The Medium Split & Resawn Shake is cut from clear heartwood, with no defects.
This shake is 1/2″ thick at the butt and is cut in two lengths – 18″ and 24″. On a 4/12 or steeper pitched roof, it is applied at 7 1/2″ for a 18″ shake and 10″ for a 24″ shake.

#1 Tapersawn Shake
Both faces are sawn; like that of a shingle, but the cut is thicker. This shake has a naturally tailored look of a shingle but is complimented by the sharp shadow line of a shake caused by the thicker butt. The Tapersawn Shake is the most popular wood roof in the West Coast of British Columbias and is rapidly growing in popularity in the rest of Canada and the USA.
Is is cut from clear heartwood, with no defects.
This shake is 5/8″ or 3/4″ thick at the butt and is cut in two lengths – 18″ and 24″. On a 4/12 or steeper pitched roof, it is applied at 7 1/2″ for a 18″ shake and 10″ for a 24″ shake.

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The tax credits were already in place thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. At that time homeowners who installed an Energy Star labeled cool metal roof could receive a tax credit of 10 percent of the material cost up to $500. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (a.k.a. the Stimulus Package) extended that same tax credit through 2010 and increased the maximum amount to 30 percent of the material cost up to an aggregate maximum over the two years of $1500. The specifics of the tax incentive are covered in Section 25C of the IRS Tax Code. Homeowners need to use IRS Form 5695(2009 version).

Contractor credit
Other Federal tax incentives exist for new residential construction and commercial construction. For new residential, a qualified contractor can receive a $2,000 tax credit for building a home that is 50 percent better than the performance according to IECC-2004. This credit was extended through 2009. A variety of energy efficient building features and processes can help to achieve that level of performance. A cool metal roof is no exception. Cool metal roofing has been shown to reduce annual cooling energy on homes by 25 percent compared to dark roof surfaces. They also can help to reduce peak demand electricity consumption by 15 percent in certain parts of the country.

For commercial building owners, a tax deduction of up to $1.80 per square foot is available if the building is designed and constructed to be 50 percent more energy efficient than one built to ASHRAE 90.1-2001 standards. That deduction has been extended through 2013 in the Stimulus Package. Again, a cool metal roof can contribute to the cooling and heating energy savings in these types of buildings.

Energy Star
Throughout the Federal Energy related legislation, references are made to the EPA’s Energy Star program. Energy Star also has a Roof Products Program that lists products meeting certain criteria for solar reflectance. For steep slope roofing (> 2:12) the criteria are initial solar reflectance of 0.25 and aged (3-year exposure) solar reflectance of 0.15.

Today’s Energy Star listing has more than 2,200 labeled products and more than 75 percent of them are either coatings for the metal roofing industry or metal roofing products themselves. Industry-recognized ASTM test methods are specified for measuring the surface solar reflectance of roof products.

In the current Energy Star Roof Products Program, manufacturers of roofing products are also required to report the measured thermal emittance of the products. Although there are no minimum criteria for emittance yet, EPA has suggested it will analyze the data being reported and possibly establish a requirement in future versions of the program.

The metal roofing industry is talking to Energy Star program officials to modify the existing program when it comes to metal roofing.

For example, we now know a roof installed in such a way as to create an airspace between the roof and the solid sheathing can significantly reduce heat flow through the roof. This phenomenon is known as Above Sheathing Ventilation (ASV) and when combined with a cool metal roof it can lower the heat passing through the roof by up to 45 percent. We are attempting to convince Energy Star that a roof with a solar reflectance less than their 0.25 minimum criteria, but installed with ASV, can be equivalent to a roof product that meets Energy Star, in terms of energy conservation.

Cool roofing
Energy Star listings for metal roofing are also connected to the products on the Cool Roof Rating Council ’s directory. The CRRC is an ANSI independent organization that has established a third-party methodology for determining the solar reflectance and thermal emittance of all roof products. Unlike Energy Star the CRRC does not establish a cool roof definition or criteria based on reflectance and emittance. But the data in the CRRC directory can be used to populate Energy Star listings and for codes, standards or green initiatives to reference.

Renewable energy
In addition to the cool nature of metal roofing, which in itself makes it a green product, the surge in popularity of renewable energy is good news for metal roofing. A metal roof is the perfect platform for building-integrated photovoltaic systems. Fastening techniques now allow most PV systems to be installed on metal roofing without penetrating the roof surface. The synergy between the metal roof and the PV array is excellent since they both have a similar expected service life.

Wind power is another source of renewable energy. Many novel and new wind turbine designs are making their way into the marketplace. We are not just talking about windmill farms lining the horizon. Many new wind turbine technologies lend themselves to installation on roofs. Again, with metal roofing, the durability of the product, and the fastening technologies that prevent penetration, make metal roofing an ideal platform for introducing wind power to a building as well.

Metal roofing is a green product. The Federal Government sees it that way, and its properties allow it to be specified that way in numerous green building initiatives, rating programs, rebates and standards.

Energy Codes and Rating Systems for Roofing is a self-guided module that will help participants become familiar with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes program, and energy-efficiency calculators for buildings. Participants also will learn about vegetative, photovoltaic and cool roof systems; how climate, geography and building use affect energy efficiency; and how different organizations and agencies define sustainability. Unless otherwise noted, the information contained in the module relates to low-slope roof systems.

Energy Codes and Rating Systems for Roofing is one of seven modules in NRCA University’s Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series, an online educational program aimed at helping roofing professionals and end users understand how roof systems can contribute to energy conservation and environmental protection. Other modules, Vegetative Roof Systems, Cool Roofs, and Photovoltaics and Roofing, launched in late 2008 and early 2009. Upcoming modules are Energy Efficiency in Roof Systems; EnergyWise Tutorial and Case Studies; and the Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series Certificate Examination.

For more information, contact NRCA’s Customer Service Department at (866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722) o r info@nrca.net . Registration can be completed online at www.nrca.net/nrcauniversity .

The National Roofing Contractors Association’s NRCA University has launched Energy Codes and Rating Systems for Roofing, an online educational program describing how roof systems can contribute to sustainable construction goals and presenting design options for improving roof systems with energy efficiency.

Energy Codes and Rating Systems for Roofing is a self-guided module that will help participants become familiar with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes program, and energy-efficiency calculators for buildings. Participants also will learn about vegetative, photovoltaic and cool roof systems; how climate, geography and building use affect energy efficiency; and how different organizations and agencies define sustainability. Unless otherwise noted, the information contained in the module relates to low-slope roof systems.

Energy Codes and Rating Systems for Roofing is one of seven modules in NRCA University’s Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series, an online educational program aimed at helping roofing professionals and end users understand how roof systems can contribute to energy conservation and environmental protection. Other modules, Vegetative Roof Systems, Cool Roofs, and Photovoltaics and Roofing, launched in late 2008 and early 2009. Upcoming modules are Energy Efficiency in Roof Systems; EnergyWise Tutorial and Case Studies; and the Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series Certificate Examination.

For more information, contact NRCA’s Customer Service Department at (866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722) o r info@nrca.net . Registration can be completed online at www.nrca.net/nrcauniversity .

When you do discover a leak in the roof you should not panic but simply know that it is time to fix the leaky roof. A leak can actually be a good sign as it will force you to check the leak and it is a good idea at this time to look over the entire roof to see if there are any other leaks or problems. Fixing a leak in your roof is not very expensive and it does not take a lot of time.

The first thing you need to find is the source of the leak. There a many common places where you can find the leak. Some of the more common locations of leaks are fields of shingles, valleys or low spots in the roof, skylights, chimneys, ice dams, flashings (plumbing vent, wall-step, furnace, and B-step), and areas where there are missing shingles.

The first tell-tale sign that your roof is leaking is there will be wet ceiling tiles. If this is the case the source of the leak can, many times, be discovered by tracing the leak backwards to its source on the roof. You should know that the source of the leak can be quite a distance away from the point the water is dripping into your home.

After you have found the source of the leak on your roof you can remove any items under the leak, and around it as well, that may be damaged by water. It may be the case that you need to move electronic equipment, furniture, and other materials. NOTE: Be sure to remove any electrical cords or cables from anywhere around the leak. Even if it is the case that they are not very close it is better to be safe than sorry. If the leak happens to be along a wall you may have to remove the top tiling so you will be able to get to the source of the leak. Even if this is the case, some leaks can begin further up on the roof, which can make it harder to find.

If the source of the leak is very simple to remedy such as a missing shingle then it can be as easy as just replacing the shingle. However, if the cause of the leak is more complicated it can be necessary to look into consulting a roofing professional to look over your roof. By having consulting a professional it will also make sure that there is no further damage. If it is the case that you need to get outside help, do it immediately so the damage is not compounded.

Even when there are no leaks in your roof you should still inspect it every once in a while. After heavy rain, snow, or severe weather you should inspect your roof. Simple things, like a clogged gutter, can cause the roof to spring a leak so it is also important to clean your gutters and downspouts.

Roof Leaks can be a blessing

call bob at 601 212 5433  or michael at 601 750 2274

you will love our work ! we take PRIDE in what we do …