Sustainable Features of Metal Roofs

a grey standing seam metal roof with environmentally sustainable features in Southern New England

In addition to longevity and curb appeal, more homeowners are looking for sustainable systems. Classic Metal Roofs LLC shares a closer look at the roofing system that has every feature you want, including sustainability: the metal roof.

Metal Roofs Are Energy-Efficient

You may already have come across the term “cool roof,” a type of roofing that reflects sunlight the same way wearing a white shirt under a hot sun can keep you cool. A cool roof absorbs a fraction of solar heat that typical roofs do, which helps reduce indoor cooling requirements and minimize energy consumption. To qualify as a cool roof, it should be able to reflect heat from the sun, as well as radiate already-absorbed heat.

Aluminum metal roofing is the ideal residential roofing system for cool roof applications. Sheet metal can be coated with just about any color or texture as the building design demands. For cool roof applications, it can be coated in white or in a reflective finish, with additional coatings that let it radiate heat. Certain types of metal roofing, such as copper and aluminum, are naturally reflective, and can achieve the same reflectivity without special coatings.

Metal Roofs Have Long Life Spans

A typical asphalt shingle roof lasts for 15 to 20 years. An aluminum metal roof, on the other hand, lasts 75-100 years, or even more with proper care and maintenance. Roof replacement generates a lot of waste material. If most of the houses in the same area have roofs with long life spans, landfills don’t get filled as fast.

Metal Roofs Are Recyclable

The metals used for residential metal roofs— aluminum, copper, and zinc—are all infinitely recyclable. This means these metals can be recycled several times over and still retain the same qualities. Most of today’s new aluminum metal roofs contain as much as 95% recycled material. Combined with its long life span, only a small fraction of waste material ultimately ends up in landfills.

Looking for a metal roofing contractor? Call Classic Metal Roofs LLC today at (866) 660-6668. You can also fill out our Free Consultation form to schedule a free roofing job estimate. We serve homeowners in MA, CT, RI and southern NH. For “the best roof under the sun” ask us about our financing options for new sustainable residential metal roofs.

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