With summer already here, homeowners are bracing for the long, hot days ahead. Recent studies show that by lowering the temperature of your roof surface, or your attic, you can cool down your interior by up to 12 degrees.
There are two good reasons to cool down your roof:
The first reason is obvious — a cool home is a happy home. It’s difficult to concentrate when you are feeling uncomfortable in the oppressive afternoon heat. Those who still need to run their air conditioners will happily find that their A/C bills are about 30 percent less. A cool roof or attic can pay for itself in as little as two-and-a-half years.
The second good reason is less well-known by the average homeowner. Your material warranty from the roofing manufacturer is dramatically shortened if you don’t ventilate your attic. Why? Because an over-heated roof will curl up and fail much quicker than a cool roof. Large roofing manufacturers, such as CertainTeed and Owens Corning, will severely reduce their warranties if you don’t ventilate your attic.
So what are the most popular methods of cooling down a roof? Homeowners with flat roofs, or sloped roofs without attics, usually choose to put on a cool roof coating, such as Hawaiian SunGuard with its Ceramic Titanium HeatShield. Those who have sloped roofs with attics will often have an attic vent installed to let out the hot air. The two most popular types are Solar Attic Vents and Ridge Vent. The Solar vents qualify for 65 percent tax credits, so your average cost, per vent installed by LeakMaster Roofing, is only about $685 after the credits. Its best-selling models are on sale for the month of June. You can call 591-1900 for a free estimate or visit the company at 575-G Cooke St. in Kakaako to compare the attic vents and roof coatings up close.
Instead of suffering inside your hot, stuffy home, you now have a reason to celebrate the sunny summer season. Lucky you live Hawaii!
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