You may think your roof is simply there to keep you dry at night, but it can do so much more than that. In fact, your roof can be a major contributor to the environmentally-friendly nature of your entire home.
Your roof can add significant environmental value to your home. If you are interested in making your roof work for you, try one of these ideas to make your roof earth-friendly.
Prevent Leaks
Stopping leaks does more than keep you dry. Preventing leaks in your roof can actually contribute to the environmental friendliness of your home. Much of the air that cools and warms your home eventually ends up in your attic. If you have leaks in your roof, the air generated by your HVAC system escapes from your home.
This causes you to spend more money and energy cooling and heating your home each year. The more energy you use, the more drain on the environment you cause. Simply by stopping leaks in your roof you can cut down on energy use by up to 40 percent.
Add Insulation
If your roof is not insulated, even if you no longer have any leaks, you will also use more energy than necessary. Attics and roofs act as heat traps in the summer, which leads to a large increase in the amount of energy that you use. The opposite is true in the winter.
A well-insulated roof can hold in the heat inside your home and prevent the need for additional heating. The US Department of Energy has a guide outlining the recommended amount of insulation for each area of the United States.
Install Solar Panels
You can not only make your roof hold energy, you can also make it generate energy. Depending on where you live, adding solar panels to your roof can help you create your own energy from the sun. This will cut down on the amount of energy that you have to purchase, which will save you money as well as cut back on the amount of environmental drain that your home has. Even adding just a couple of panels can make a big difference.
Grow Plants
Did you know that your roof can also double as a garden? Many roof gardens can add a variety of environmental benefits as well as providing a source of beauty and food. Adding a garden to your roof adds additional insulation that can prevent the need for installing additional insulation inside the attic.
Before you add a garden to your roof, check with local regulations and guidelines to ensure that your roof can support the weight of a garden and that it is allowed in your region.
Paint Your Roof
If you paint your roof with reflective roof paint, you can actually prevent heat from accumulating inside your attic and home. This will cut back on the amount of energy necessary to cool your home in the summer. This is especially beneficial in hot, dry locations around the world.
Your roof does not have to remain one-dimensional. There are many adaptations you can try to make your roof earth-friendly. You can check out a roofing company for some tips.