Northeast Flat Roof White Vs Black

The debate between white roofs versus black roofs has raged on for years however recent science has shown the reflectivity of white roofs has given them the edge.

Northeast flat roof white vs black.

Ballasted black membranes can have similar performance to white membranes. Higher than the same sheathing material under white shingles on a sunny day. Vegetated green roofs can use black membranes because performance isn t affected by the membrane solar reflectance. A black or gray modified roof is either painted with a reflective paint or is embedded with tiny white.

White black membranes need not create black roofs. Company overview pro home services is an award winning exterior remodeling company that has been delighting the most discriminating customers in chicago suburbs with new roofs siding windows and doors for more than 12 years. But from a climate and urban heat island standpoint it makes a lot of sense to install bright white roofs. Since a black roof absorbs and retains heat the summer is the absolute worst time to have one.

White roofs will stay white. In other words white roofs cost 9 per square foot less than green roofs over 50 years or 0 30 per square foot each year. For example a black tar roof is often covered with gravel. The 50 year life cycle cost analysis found that even the most inexpensive kind of green roof with no public access and consisting of only sedum or prairie grass costs 7 per square foot more than black roofs over 50 years while white roofs save 2 per square foot compared to black roofs.

Why choose a white roof over black. Unless routine maintenance and power washing is completed a white roof will often dull and look dirty. By reflecting up to 88 of the sun s energy duro last s white membranes can greatly reduce energy consumption and costs making it an ideal energy efficient cool roofing solution. White roofs are commonly constructed out of tpo or pvc.

That s why we say bright is the new black. This is one of the reasons why many black roofs are covered with other materials. Haag certified roofing inspector epa certified lead safe firm lp preferred remodeler. False white roofs attract and retain dirt easily which quickly diminishes some of the positive aspects of the membrane.

This is especially true when you are removing a black roof and installing a new white roof. And white roofs stay cooler potentially lower cooling costs in the summer. When determining if black or white roofing membrane is a better choice for your commercial building there are a few common misconceptions many people encounter. One might think that benefits solar gain in a heating climate at least when the roof is not snow covered.

Built up membranes can be surfaced with energy star cap sheets creating a white membrane. Study found that for most locations tested roof sheathing temperature below black roof shingles were 10 15 degf.