5 Tips for Protecting Your Roof During Extreme Summer Heat QT

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Keep the Vents Clear

It isn’t enough to simply install attic vents; you must make sure air passes through them. It’s common for homeowners to install vents in the soffits, then block them when installing insulation on the floor. Feller’s solution? “Just shimmy out there and unblock the vents,” she says. It’s a hot, sweaty, dirty job, she says, but it’s the only way to get the air flowing.

While you’re out there at the edge of the attic floor, it’s smart to install baffles over the soffit vents. Made of cardboard or styrene, you staple them to the underside of the roof with one end protecting the vent from loose insulation. They allow air to flow directly toward the roof vents.

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Paint the Roof

This was a long shot suggestion I proposed during our conversation, and I expected Feller to shoot it down. Instead, she agreed it was a good idea. A white elastomeric roof coating reflects sunlight and indeed keeps the roof cooler, provided you use multiple layers of the right product.

The problem? “It’s ugly on a sloped roof,” she says. “You can tint it to make it look better, but not too dark.”

Off-whites and pastels on the roof may fit in with some design schemes, but not many. If the roof features a low slope and you can’t see much of it from the ground, color doesn’t matter as much, and an elastomeric coating may be just the ticket.

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Make Shade With Solar Panels

Plant a few fast-growing trees next to the house, wait 10 years or so, and your roof will be protected from the sun. Most people, of course, need a more immediate solution, and solar panels provide one.

To generate electricity, roof solar panels need to face the sun, and that just happens to be the part requiring the most protection. The panels absorb all the heat that would otherwise go through the roofing into the attic, turning it into electricity you can use directly or sell to the power company. It’s a win-win for you, your roof and the power grid.

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