Colors Of Residential Metal Roofs

Friday, May 10, 2013

Colors Of Residential Metal Roofs

Even commercial buildings with corrugated steel roofs are sporting attractive colors.

Despite hard economic times, residential sales of metal roofing continue to grow partly due to an increased range of colors. In particular, environmentally friendly paints called cool-roof coatings are available in many colors and are attracting homeowners interested in keeping their houses cooler and their air conditioning costs lower during hot weather.

History

Metal roofs have gone in and out of style in America since the 19th century. Their early popularity was due in part to the invention of galvanization, which coated tinplate iron with zinc to protect it from rusting. The National Park Service, which is in charge of preserving many historic buildings with metal roofs, says galvanization encouraged commercial use of metal roofs, including the 1857 U.S. Mint in New Orleans. It adds that by the end of the century, the fancy, embossed shingles of tinplate roofing were affordable, lightweight and easy to maintain with a coat of paint.

Traditional Colors

Tin became America's most common roofing material by the end of the19th century, according to the National Park Service. It notes that popular colors for tin roofs were red and a mossy green that looked like aged copper. Metal fell out of favor around the 1920s with the rise of less expensive asphalt shingles. In 1992, "The New York Times" reported its "comeback," but said that consumers mostly purchased it for buildings in the West and in "extreme northerly areas."

Cool Roof Movement

Metal roofs that are coated with highly reflective paints, especially light colors, are referred to as cool roofs. There is a wide variety of cool roof materials and styles, including rooftops covered with gardens that are also called "living roofs." All keep the interiors of homes cooler during hot weather and cause buildings to consume less energy for air conditioning.

The "Chicago Tribune" says that concern about the environment is also boosting sales of metal roofs, although they cost up to three times as much as asphalt roofs. This is due to metal roofing being lighter, lasting decades longer and often containing recycled materials. Baked-on, reflective paints called "cool coatings" also helped increase the metal roofing industry's share of the re-roofing market from 4 percent in 2000 to 11 percent in 2010, according to the Tribune.

Current Color Range

Although it seems to counter scientific principles about absorption of solar radiation, manufacturers have discovered ways to make highly reflective black metal roofing that meets government standards for cool roofing. However, the rule of thumb for cool roofs is that the lighter the roof color, the better it reflects sunlight and the quicker it releases absorbed heat.

In addition to black, one producer of cool metal roofing offers 26 colors approved by EnergyStar, a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy as well as LEED certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. These include multiple shades of white, gray, green, red and blue as well as bronze, brown and burgundy.

Prairie homes

Friday, May 10, 2013