Roofing materials have a major impact on a building’s ability to handle heat. Some materials reflect sunlight and heat away from the building, while traditional materials like shingles absorb heat and transfer it indoors.
Innovations like cool roof coatings, radiant barriers, and materials like slate, terracotta, and specially treated tiles are effective in warmer climates because they prevent heat absorption and improve energy efficiency. The choice of roofing materials, including advanced options like green roofs and photovoltaic systems, not only contribute to cooler interiors, but also provide environmental benefits and energy savings.
Think of it this way if you’re sitting on a chair covered in black fabric and you go to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, your chair is probably warm when you get up — and it stays warm until you wake up. However, if your chair is made of something like metal, clay, molded plastic, or slate, it may feel slightly warm when you stand up, but be completely cool when you return. Traditional roof shingles retain and transfer heat in a similar manner. Roof tiles made of felt-like materials covered with asphalt and tar retain heat and even transfer it downward into a structure, while other types of roofing reflect light and heat upward and away from the building.
10 Types of Heat Proofing
Wood Fiber
Using wood fiber insulation is an environmentally friendly approach to a greener future. It can be used to insulate wooden frames, floors, roofs, beams and trusses. Wood is renewable, binds carbon during growth and is free of pollutants. Its breathability and material density make it perfect for hot summer days.
Rock Wool Insulation
Rock wool insulation, also called mineral wool insulation, is made from natural rock materials such as basalt or diabase. It features heat and fire resistance, sound insulation, and protection against pests and mold. It is widely used in residential and commercial buildings and improves energy efficiency and comfort, making it the first choice among types of roof insulation.
Radiant Insulation for Roofs
Radiant barriers work by reflecting radiant heat, unlike traditional insulation methods that primarily impede heat conduction and convection.
Typically installed in attics, these radiant barriers are designed to reduce heat gain in the summer, thereby reducing air conditioning costs for homeowners.
This breakthrough approach represents an efficient form of roof insulation and can provide significant savings on household energy costs.
Polyurethane
If you are familiar with the global thermal insulation industry, polyurethane is the number one choice everywhere. No thermal insulation industry in the world would be complete without offering polyurethane to its customers. Wondering what makes this material good? In short, it has a higher resistance value which keeps your home cooler. Polyurethane also comes in different forms such as solid or foam based. Applying this material is also easier and can only be done by experts with the right equipment. The only disadvantage of using polyurethane is that it is expensive as compared to the other materials on the list.
Cellulose
Cellulose is made from recycled paper. Scientifically, it is a carbohydrate composed of glucose units. To achieve strong insulation, the shredded magazine is mixed with inorganic salts such as boric acid to improve its properties such as fire, insect, mold and pest resistance. Depending on the application, installation is done by blowing or wet spraying.
Insulation Mats
Another cheap and easy to install example of insulation mats are prefabricated rolls or panels. These are ideal for DIY projects and offer heat resistance at a reasonable price. However, correct installation is extremely important to avoid gaps and cavities that can affect performance. For asymmetrical spaces, the insulation mat may be less suitable.
Thermopore Insulation
The thermal foil insulation consists of pre-foamed polystyrene pieces that are durable and robust.. These particles are formed into a block from which sheets of different densities, lengths and sizes are cut. Thermopore insulation panels have excellent thermal insulation performance due to their super-dense cell configuration. Thermopore is most widely used in Lahore. due to its features such as light weight, hardness, easy handling and low price.
Thermopore panels have several properties that make them a widely used thermal insulation material. As for the heat conduction, it is incredibly poor. In summer, the heat cannot reach the building and in winter, no heat can escape from the house. It is often used for thermal insulation of buildings. Thermopore panels are a relatively lightweight material that can be used for good insulation of buildings, walls and roofs. They are mainly used to block solar radiation. They are CFC-free, free of harmful toxins and non-biodegradable. Due to its excellent properties, it is considered as one of the best and most popular roof insulation materials.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene foam has many practical applications such as packaging, arts and crafts etc. Moreover, the material is finding its way into thermal insulation due to its high resistance values. It is much cheaper, so it is easy to apply. What is still lacking is the skills required to apply the material on the roof in Lahore. Since this insulation is readily available, it can be applied both on the inside and outside of the roof. For the application, we first need the right equipment that will help us apply the material in our house.
Rock Wool Insulation
Rock wool insulation, also called mineral wool insulation, is made from natural rock materials such as basalt or diabase. It features heat and fire resistance, sound insulation, and protection against pests and mold. It is widely used in residential and commercial buildings and improves energy efficiency and comfort, making it the first choice among types of roof insulation.
White Metal Roofs
Compared to other roof types, white metal cools faster at night and retains heat for a shorter period of time.
In terms of reflectivity, white metal roofs actually don’t perform as well as white flat and barrel roofs. They reflect about 66 percent of the sun’s energy away from the roof. But white metal roofs do have one advantage: Compared to other roof types, they cool faster at night and retain less heat for shorter periods of time.
Most metal roofs cost 20 to 30 percent more than traditional roofs, but in terms of energy savings, durability and reduced maintenance, they’re an overall cost saver. However, to maximize the benefits of metal roofing in warm climates, treatment and installation are important factors. Most metal roofs are made of steel and aluminum, with copper options tending toward the higher end, and most types must be treated to resist corrosion. They must also meet minimum standards for wind resistance and installation. When installed at an angle without regard to slope and glare, the white metal roof is cool, but not cool to occupants and motorists who are blinded by the reflected light.
Conclusion
The use of heat resistant materials depends on the amount of energy transfer required in an enclosed structure. For example, if the weather is warm and dry, wood fiber or hemp can be used. Similarly, the heat resistance of liquid roofing makes it a better option in colder conditions.
