Everyone who lives on the OBX knows what a summertime A/C bill looks like. I've identified two of the big problems at our place and it's the dark roof and our stupid uncovered wooden deck that we never ever use because it's too hot. The deck is literally just a giant heater connected to the second floor of the house that has the A/C working non stop all summer on full blast. It also needs to be weather proofed every single year (by me) and STILL the wood degrades super fast from the swing of wet ocean mist to scorching summer sun to Snow and ice during the winter. THAT is getting a roof and will become a screened in porch. I'm over it. The solution to the dark roof and hot attic may be less conventional. I'm considering a white tile roof or at least a white Lime wash like the Amish do although that could be ugly. Just curious if anyone here has experience with white roofing materials and their efficacy in terms of heat rejection??
Years ago I noticed a house near me was getting some areas of the roof"painted" white. I call it painted but I have no idea what it actually was, but it was very white. They only did a few sections which made the roof look stupid. The next year they painted the whole roof white. At least it didn't look as bad all white and I bet it made a difference in heating the house in the summer. It seems like the whole roof was reshingled a year or two later, so they must not have liked the white roof too much.
@Tim-OBX Yeah, that's the thing. I don't think a Metal white roof would bother me. Some of the white tile roofs look nice too but how long before I have to risk my life crawling up there with a power washer to clean the pollen build up off? The roof is getting replaced this year or next no matter what. I've also considered an exhaust fan on a thermostat in the attic although I don't know how effective that would be either. It couldn't hurt.
Gotta love youtube. Here's a guy who did the Lime paste paint. Makes a huge difference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_n43L5hQiI
I get it with the high AC bills, BF. The porch roof you're going to put up might just be the answer and you can pick whatever roof color and roof the porch and house together. We turned our old deck into a screened in porch last fall and I could tell yesterday that the kitchen area was way much cooler with the porch roof on blocking out the sun on an 88 degree day without the sun blasting through the door. Not to mention the sun fading the hardwoods with the direct shine! Good luck and I'm sure it will be nice!
@BentMtn My Brother owns a roofing company in Colorado Springs and he just told me he would disown me if I painted my roof white. lol He want's Solar powered roof vents.
@Beach Farmer So funny! Well, white is often used in big time contemporary homes with black trim and white house etc etc etc. with a price tag that I could never afford.
@Beach Farmer If properly done a white washed roof is self cleaning. Almost every roof in Bermuda is white washed. They have an actual purpose for doing it. The roofs are all stepped to slow down water that goes into the cistern
Many, many years ago a roofing contractor told my dad that the best color SHINGLE for longevity was brown. Black? Well that's obvious. White? Too reflective and curls. I've no idea how that translates to other types of roofing. At one point my dad's house had a back deck that blistered in the afternoon. We covered it. Made a world of difference in the feel in the house... and the summertime power bill.