Summer is just about here, which means high heat and long, sunny days are upon us. For commercial building owners, this also means increased utility bills, the ultimate result of keeping their facilities cool. But did you know that your commercial roofing system actually plays a significant part in keeping your building cool?
Why Cooling Commercial Roofing is Important
Taking steps to ensure your building’s roofing is cooling your facility has many key benefits:
- Energy efficiency: air conditioners won’t have to work as hard to cool a building during the hottest months of the year.
- Saving money: when less energy is consumed, businesses save significantly on utility bills. It already costs $2.10 per square foot to power utilities for a commercial building (that’s $210,000 for a 100,000 sq. ft. Facility), so keeping utility costs low can save a lot of money.
- Less mold and mildew: controlling the temperature on a commercial roof can reduce the likelihood of organic materials growing on it.
- Being greener: using less power reduce the carbon footprint of your company.
How to Keep a Commercial Roof Cool
Some of the most effective tactics for businesses looking to keep their commercial roofing systems cool include:
- Using reflective coatings: applying a reflective coating allows the roofing system to prevent the absorption of heat, which will not only cool the roof but also reduce the temperature of the space below.
- Choosing the right color: if reflective coatings are too much of an investment, simply painting the roof white can reduce heat absorption (especially if the original color of the roof is black) and cool the space below.
- Make sure roofs are ventilated: proper ventilation of commercial roofing systems prevents expansion of materials while keeping facilities cooler during the summer months. They also have added benefits like improving air quality and reducing humidity levels.
- Spray foam insulation: insulating your roof creates a barrier that prevents buildings from heating up. It can also reinforce your roof, making it harder to damage, and can even act as a source of pest control.
- Mist systems: commercial roofing mist systems spray a small amount of water onto a roof that helps keep it cool on hot days. The increases in consumption of water is generally far outweighed by the benefits.
- Create some shade: it’s a long-term play, but planting trees around your building can reduce the temperature of the building. This is because trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and moisture from the ground (through their roots). This moisture is evaporated and released through leaf pores, which can help cool the air around a building.
