Metal roofing has long earned a solid reputation for longevity Metal Roofing Reflective, durability and modern home designs.
However, one incredibly powerful advantage of metal roofing is far less visible: reflective coatings. These advanced finishes are incredibly important in terms of how metal roofs reduce energy costs, manage heat, and improve a property’s overall performance.
We recently interviewed the metal roofing specialists in Urbana OH at Roofs by Warren to better understand the science behind these reflective roof coatings, and what we learned is that this technology is incredibly valuable for both residential and commercial property owners.
So, check out the below sections to learn more about the science behind these cutting-edge coatings—as well as why metal roofing has subsequently become a major competitor against traditional roofing materials!
What Reflective Metal Roofing Coatings Technically Do
At the most rudimentary level, a metal roof’s reflective coatings go a long way to control how much solar energy a property actually absorbs throughout the course of a day.
This coincides with the basic fact that when sunlight hits a roof, three different things will potentially happen. This includes the following:
- The sunlight will be reflected away from the roof
- The sunlight will be absorbed as heat
- The sunlight will be transmitted through the roofing material
Traditional asphalt shingles tend to absorb the majority of sunlight, which subsequently makes rooftops intense heat collectors. This heat usually transfers inside a property, which then forces AC systems to work much harder than is technically necessary.
The latest reflective coatings flip this equation on its head, because they’re specifically designed to reflect the vast majority of solar radiation away from a rooftop long before it’s capable of being turned into heat. And on metal roofs, this develops an effective heat management system that benefits the entire property in the long-term!
The Growing Role Of Thermal Emittance & Solar Reflectivity
There are two key scientific properties that help define the overall effectiveness of metal roofing coatings, including thermal emittance and solar reflectivity.
Solar reflectivity refers to a surface’s general ability to reflect sunlight. The higher a roof’s reflectivity rating, the less heat will ultimately be absorbed throughout the course of a hot day. This is why a lot of today’s metal roofs are uniquely engineered to reflect both invisible infrared radiation and visible light, because this combination is what comprises most heat buildup.
Thermal emittance technically is a material’s ability to release any heat that it does end up absorbing. This is an important property due to even top-rated reflective coatings taking in some heat, because high-emittance roof finishes are capable of radiating this heat back into the atmosphere—as opposed to entering a building.
Together, these two scientific properties are exactly what keeps metal roofing systems substantially cooler in comparison to traditional roofs!
How Metal Roof Reflective Coatings Are Uniquely Engineered
It’s also important to keep in mind that today’s metal roofing coatings are far more technically advanced than basic paint.
This is because they’re comprised of polymer-based materials like silicone-modified polyester, traditional polyester, and sometimes even fluoropolymers like PVDF. These state-of-the-art coatings are baked into metal roof panels, which subsequently creates a weather-resistant, tightly bonded surface.
And within these coatings are pigments that are capable of reflecting infrared light. These cool pigments are specifically formulated to bounce heat-producing wavelengths back into the air, even when a roof’s color is a darker hue. This is why you’ll see many metal roofs these days that come in colors like brown, deep blue or green.
Why Reflective Coatings Give Metal Roofing Added Benefits
Metal is typically the ideal base for reflective roof coatings, and this is largely because metal doesn’t absorb heat in the same way that asphalt shingles do. Once a coating reflects sunlight, the underlying metal will easily stay cooler and transfer far less heat indoors.
And on top of these tech-savvy benefits, metal roof panels are usually installed with insulation layers or air gaps underneath them. This then develops a thermal break that goes even further to reduce heat transfer!
Indoor Comfort & Energy Savings
Another huge impact of reflective roof coatings is found in a property’s energy performance. Homes and commercial buildings with coated metal roofs almost always experience much lower cooling loads, and this is especially the case in very sunny or warm climates.
By reducing the overall amount of heat that enters a building, AC systems can subsequently run more efficiently and less frequently. This translates directly into less HVAC equipment wearing, significantly lower utility bills, and far more consistent indoor temperatures.
Long-Term Roofing Performance
Reflective roof coatings also substantially protect the metal found on roofing systems by shielding panels from moisture, UV radiation and chemical exposure. This then slows down fading and corrosion dilemmas.
And on top of helping metal roofs with their overall aesthetics, coatings also support long-term performance—which then allows the system to last much longer!
The Metal Roofing Science That’s Paying Off For Home & Business Owners
It’s important to keep in mind that reflective metal roofing coatings aren’t just cosmetic upgrades, because they’re uniquely engineered with chemistry, physics and material science.
By controlling how heat and sunlight interacts with a roofing system, these coatings are transforming metal roofs into an incredibly durable and energy-efficient option for properties of all sizes.
This science is now translating into real-world benefits for contractors, builders and property owners alike through longer roof lifetimes, lower energy costs, and far better performing properties that start from the top down!
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