How Roofing Can Make an Old Ft. Lauderdale Commercial Building More Energy Efficient
May 15, 2013 | By: jenny fresard
In: Commercial Roofing, Commercial roofing contractor, Roofing Florida
If your business operates out of an older building and you’re concerned about rising energy costs then you should consider talking to a Ft. Lauderdale commercial roofing company for ideas on how your roof can play a role in reducing your FPL bill. Your roof is the first line of defense against our blazing summer heat and if it isn’t up snuff you could end up paying for cooling the great outdoors that found its way indoors.
If you have an older roof on your building odds are it’s transferring up to 80% of the sun’s heat directly into the interior. Your air conditioning kicks in to cool the hot air that shouldn’t be there in the first place and that results in a sky rocketing electric expense. That’s the bad news. There is good news however. In recent years there have been significant advances in energy efficient roofing materials that can significantly decrease the transfer of heat from the roof’s surface to the inside of a building. These new materials are available for pitched and flat roofs and not only are they energy efficient but “green” as well.
If you’re serious about getting your Ft. Lauderdale business “energy healthy” then here are a few ideas to help you:
- Get a roof inspection. You can’t make an informed decision without knowing what problems (if any) exist with your roof. Have a qualified Ft. Lauderdale commercial roofing company do an inspection and analysis of the current condition of your roof. Once completed, the technician should be able to sit down with you and advise what options are available to meet your objective and your budget.
- Get an Energy Star Rating. The biggest improvement in roofing materials be they shingles, coatings or membranes is their fantastic ability to reflect the sun’s heat back into the atmosphere. Some materials can reflect as much as 80% which is heat you otherwise would have had to pay to cool. If you decide that you need to restore or replace your roof take special care in selecting the most appropriate energy efficient materials for your roofing system.
- Go Green Go Solar. Reduce your carbon footprint and your FPL bill at the same time. Solar isn’t appropriate for all roofing configurations but if it can be used you will be surprised by how short the payback time is. Advances in technology and government incentives make
solar panels a very real option for some buildings.
Preparing your older Ft. Lauderdale business property for the future can be a challenging but if you are going to do it, do the roof now before the summer heat hits so you can maximize your savings on energy costs.