Summer - hot beaches, outdoor barbecues and swimming comes to mind. But what can you do about keeping cool at home? In this post, we share a few ways you can keep your roof cool this summer.

Grab your coat?!

While grabbing a coat is definitely not the first thing you think about in summer, it should be when it comes to your roof, especially if you have a flat roof. Specialised roof coatings, which come in a range of materials, can help a roof reflect up to 90% of solar heat. Cool roof coatings are best applied to low-sloped roofs in good condition.

Consider your paint job

A standard unpainted metal roof can be a cost-effective solution for some steep-sloped applications, since it is already reflective and requires no additional technologies or materials to achieve cool roof status. Factory-applied white paint increases the cost as do more efficient integrated cool-roof coatings.

Applying a couple of coats of specialised paint can increase a roof’s solar reflectivity. On that same note, painting your roof with lighter colours (preferably white) can also improve the heat reduction characteristics of your roof.  

Tile alternative

Both traditional and "cool coloured" tiles can be good choices for cooling a roof. Some traditional tiles have naturally reflective properties, depending on their colour and the type of the clay they contain.

Solar panels

Consider adding solar panels to your roof. They store energy for you to use in your home and send excess capacity back to your local power grid. They can help keep your home cool in the hot summer weather.

Windcatchers?

Never heard of them? These unique, nifty inventions direct cool air downwards. The windcatcher has an onion-shaped dome with nearly-vertical vanes that will turn in even slight breezes. The vanes force cooler air down a shaft into the house. A vent seal at the bottom of the windcatcher can be closed and sealed in cool weather to prevent cold air entry.

Roof Mist Cooling Systems

Also called an evaporative cooling system, a roof misting system lowers surface temperatures by spraying an extremely small amount of water across the roof, allowing the water to cool the roof as it evaporates.

From using a simple garden hose set to the “mist” setting and aimed across the roof to more sophisticated systems for more practical applications like offices and industrial spaces, a misting system can certainly help keep the roof and you cool.

Vent the air in and out

Having multiple entry and exit points for cross ventilation also helps keep your roof cool. Remember, timing is key. Keep as many windows/ ventilators open as possible during early mornings and late evenings. Around 5am-8am and 7pm-10 pm. During this time of the day, the air gets replenished without all the harsh heat from the sun.

If it's windy outside, you can create a breeze inside your home by strategically opening your windows. When the wind blows against a building, it creates a high-pressure area on the side where it hits and a low-pressure area on the opposite side. As the wind naturally moves from the high pressure area to the low pressure one, opening the windows on both sides of your home will allow the air to move through the house, creating a breeze.

External Window Coverings/Awnings

Sunlight coming into the home through windows is one of the biggest culprits for heating the house. Awnings can translate into a saving of cooling energy by 26% in hot climates, where it might even make air conditioning unnecessary.

These are just a few ideas, there are certainly more. Thought of any? She with us your ideas.