Eco-Friendly Recycled Metal Roofing
When it comes to finding green roofing materials for your home you might want to consider recycled metal roofing. Metal roofing is simply stunning and is available in several colors and styles offering many beautiful and environmentally friendly design solutions.
The Environmental Impact of Recycled Metal Roofing
The installation of metal roofing is becoming a very popular trend in roofing today due to its many environmentally beneficial aspects.
Most metal roofing manufacturers produce their product with no less than 25% and up to 98% of post-consumer recycled waste! These roofs can be installed directly over the existing roofing material which provides an extra layer of insulation on the roof. Since the existing roof does not need to be stripped and removed, less waste is created that would have been sent to landfills.
These floors can last a lifetime, upwards of 60 years! They require virtually no maintenance as they are will not rust, crack, or rot and never have to been cleaned. Metal roofing will not burn and when it reaches its life expectancy it is 100% recyclable!
Perhaps the most environmental beneficial aspect of recycled metal roofing is in its ability to reflect sunlight. During the hot summer sunny days, the suns rays are reflected off the roof rather than being absorbed into the home via asphalt shingles. Metal roofing has been known to reduce energy bills during the hot months up to 20%. Certain metal roofing also contains special pigments to help reflect even more sunlight and has been found to reduce energy bills up to 40%!!
According to Cool Metal Roofing,"Buildings consume one-third of all energy and two-thirds of all electricity generated. Cool roofs can help reduce energy consumption by lowering cooling loads. Lightly colored, more reflective roofs save up to 40% in cooling energy, as reported by the Heat Island Group of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory."
One negative issue that arises is the cost and potential noise created by the installation of a metal roof. These roofs can be very expensive, but when you consider the life span, safety and energy benefits to this roofing material it is well worth the price. Be aware however that metal roofs tend to be louder than other materials. There are ways to insulate them though and many actually prefer the sound of a metal roof and would want nothing else. That is up to you!
The Health Impact of Recycled Metal Roofing
One health concern around these roofs is the heat that is reflected back into the air. As discussed in our greenroofing article this type of reflection can contribute to poor air quality in certain cities and communities. However according to www.coolmetalroofing.org "Cool metal roofing is one way to mitigate the urban heat island effect. Roofs with higher reflectance have lower surface temperatures, which help reduce ambient air temperatures. This improves air quality since less smog is formed."
One way to ensure that your metal roofing does not contribute to poor air quality, try planting more vegetation or trees around your property to help off set that potential environmental negative.
There is also a conversation about the potential environmentally hazardous rain run-off from metal roofing. Studies are showing that harmful levels of zinc and other minerals are being found in the surrounding soil where rain has run-off of these roofs. It would be wise to ask the manufacturer about run-off toxicity and what you can do to prevent environmental damage to your surroundings.
Thesexygreenhome Opinion
In our opinion recycled metal roofing is a perfect sexy choice for the green home. There are many styles and colors to showcase your style and for the most part they are an excellent environmental product. Be sure to get a metal roof with the highest recycled material you can find. Check out Southern Metal Roofing's Rustic Shingle!
Learn about solar powered roofing shingles
