Style And Energy Efficiency Upgrades When It Comes Time To Replace Your Old Roof
When it comes time to repair your homes old roof, it is a good idea to consider some upgrades. If the whole roof needs to be repaired, not just a small leak that you plan on getting patched, then it is the perfect time to go ahead and improve upon your roof with some cool upgrades. So, instead of just having the contractors tear up the old asphalt shingles, lay in new decking, and then put down some fresh asphalt shingles over new roofing paper, consider some new upgrades you can incorporate into the build.
Energy Efficient Upgrade
One interesting thing you could do is to use your roof to conserve energy. There are two ways you could do this. The first is to have the roofing contractors install a small opening for a skylight. This would provide you with a ton of natural light. So, if you have a ranch-style or other single-story style home, you could install the skylight over your living room. This would supply lots of sunlight into the room during the day and eliminate the need for electrical lights. This strategy could also be helpful if you have a two-story home and have a home office on the second floor.
The second option is to have the roofers install solar shingles. These can be incorporated into a large asphalt roof design (the solar shingles can be picked out to match the asphalt shingles). These solar shingles will then be linked up to a converter in your home. If you do like the idea of a solar shingle array, it's a good idea to ask your roofing contractor to hook you up with an electrician who has experience connecting solar converters to residential electrical systems (i.e. the central circuit box).
A Change Of Color And Style
You might not be looking to harness the sun's energy, but you might want to change the way your roof looks. Perhaps you find the dark asphalt tiles a bit oppressive looking on your light-colored home. If that's the case, you might like to go for a nice, light, copper-colored tile. You can use actually cooper tiles, or you could get another metal material such as aluminum or tin.
Go Green
Finally, if you're very green and eco-conscious and you like the idea of using recycled materials, then you should speak with the roofing contractor about using "green" tiles. These are made of a combination of recycled materials and a glue like binder that forms them into shingle shapes. They stand up to the rain and elements just like old fashioned asphalt shingles.
