If your home needs a new roof, don’t be too quick to automatically assume you should replace the asphalt shingles you probably already have with more of the same. We’ve teamed up with roofing contractor Contractor Quotes to send up a warning flag about asphalt shingles and give you 7 eco-friendly roof options to consider. And of course, always talk to a professional to discuss the best options for you, given your budget, needs, preferences and concerns about the environment.

What’s Wrong With Asphalt?

There are two big problems with asphalt shingles.

One, they are not easy to recycle.

Asphalt shingles may contain asbestos, lead, cadmium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), among other toxic chemicals.

Even though asbestos is not to have been used in shingle manufacturing since the 1980s, often, one shingle roof is installed directly on top of another. Old shingles that contain asbestos could be found if the old roof is ripped off completely and an entirely new roof installed. Because asphalt shingles contain an amalgam of materials, it can be hard to incorporate them into other products.

The PAHs they contain come from the petroleum products used to manufacture shingles. The PAHs don’t appear to leach out of the shingles themselves. However, PAHs are emitted when the shingles are originally made. Some PAHs are known to cause cancer, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

The second problem with asphalt shingles is that they contaminate the water that runs off them. 

Researchers at the University of Michigan College of Engineering found high levels of lead in rainwater that came from the roof. This could be a problem for people who collect rainwater in barrels to water their gardens. It’s also a source of contamination for our groundwater, since so much rain water slides off our roofs, into our gutters, and then into the street and street sewers.

8 Eco-Friendly Roof Options to Consider

Here are 8 eco-friendly roof options that don’t contain asphalt.

White or “Cool” Roof – The aptly-nicknamed “cool roof” consists of a mixture of white gravel and glue. It reflects the sun’s rays, helping your home stay cooler in the summer. Energy Star-qualified cool roofs can lower the roof’s surface temperature by up to 100 degrees F. That could cut your air conditioning use by 10% to 15%.

Wood Shingles – Wood shingles can be made out of reclaimed or recycled wood and last up to 20 years. When it’s time to replace the roof, you can recycle the shingles, lengthening the lifespan of the wood.

Solar Shingles – Shingles made from photovoltaic cells offer an increasingly popular alternative to solar panels mounted on roofs. The shingles, like those pictured above, are cost-competitive with solar panels and can be integrated into the roof so you can barely tell they’re there. Federal and state tax credits offset the cost of the shingles, and you’ll get additional savings – maybe as much as 40% to 60% – because the panels could cut your utility bill so drastically.

Metal Roofs – Metal roofs are very durable and long-lasting. They will reflect the sun’s rays well to help lower your energy bills. The metal can contain a high degree of recycled content and can also be recycled at the end of its life.

Slate Tiles – Slate is so durable, some manufacturers offer a 100 year warranty. You can also use salvaged slate tiles that have been repurposed by the manufacturer.

Clay and Concrete Tiles – Clay tiles are very good at reflecting heat, so will help reduce your utility bills. They are also fully recyclable. One down side of clay tiles is that they can be energy intensive to manufacture. Concrete tiles can look like clay but don’t use quite as much energy to manufacture.

Rubber Roof – A rubber roof is usually made out of reinforced rubber shingles that are manufactured from used steel-belted radial tires. Rubber is very durable and long-lasting. It can be manufactured to look like either slate or shake tiles and can be very beautiful.

Garden/Green Roof – Planting your roof with vegetation can help cool your home, improve insulation, and help clean the air. Green roofs combat the “heat island effect” that raises temperatures in so many cities. And if you opt to plant an actual garden, you can grow food and flowers on your roof, which is terrific if you don’t have any space on your ground-level property.

Questions to Ask When Considering Eco-Friendly Roof Options

Before you buy a roof no matter what kind of roofing materials you’re considering, ask the following questions:

* What is the roofing material made of?

* Is your home’s existing frame strong enough to withstand the roof being proposed?

* How does the roof rate when it comes to Energy Star and LEED, the U.S. Green Building Council standards for eco-friendly building materials?

* How long will the roof last? It should be under a specific warranty for years of performance.

* Will the old roof be recycled?

* What kind of maintenance is required? A “green” roof covered with vegetation will require more maintenance than a roof made of recycled rubber tiles.

* Is the roofing contractor highly experienced and highly rated on sites like Angie’s List, neighborhood listservs, the Better Business Bureau, or other independent sites that verify the quality of the roofer’s work?

If you’ve installed an eco-friendly roof, what did you choose and why?

NOTE: Though we team up with a variety of companies to bring you information and expertise, our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks for any suggestions you have that will help us improve the content we offer you.

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 What difference does a roof make?

Any surface exposed to solar energy will get hot. Traditional roofing materials absorb 85 to 95 percent of the solar energy that reaches them, increasing the temperature of the rooms below. Thermally coated roofs reflect more of that energy back out into the atmosphere.

Benefits

A cool roof offers several important benefits. Because it transfers less heat to the building below, the building requires less energy for cooling, a big advantage in the summer when many homeowners max out their air conditioning – and their electricity bills. By some estimates, a thermally coated roof can reduce a homeowner’s electricity demand by 14 to 38 percent (depending also on how well the roof and home are insulated, among other factors).

Most electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants. Burning coal creates air pollution and carbon dioxide that causes climate change. Because cool roofs reduce electricity demand, they also help keep the air clean and help minimize climate change.

Plus, cool roofs can increase comfort for the people living in them, especially in homes that do not have air conditioning. In the picture above, the bottom photo shows how much energy (heat) is being absorbed on an untreated roof, compared to the top photo of the same roof that’s been thermally coated.

Brand new, or retrofit?

Cool roofs can be installed on new construction, but homeowners can also retrofit their existing roofs by working with a contractor to apply coatings or membranes.

What is a cool roof made of?

There are generally two types of roofs –low-sloped, and steep slopped.  A low-sloped roof is mostly flat, with only enough incline to provide drainage; it’s normally used on commercial, industrial, warehouse, office, retail and multi-family buildings. Most homes have a more steeply sloped roof. The kind of roof usually determines what materials can be used to make it cool.  Contractors can use surface treatments like thermal coatings that reflect the sun’s rays, restrict the growth of algae, and are waterproof.  They can also apply membranes, pre-fabricated sheets applied in a single layer (these are better for a flat or low-sloped roof).

What will it cost?

If you’re interested in making your roof cool, get bids from contractors like Improve a Roof who can also tell you what thermal roof coatings are appropriate for your home. Don’t forget to factor into the cost the amount of money you will save on cooling your home in the summer. Some communities may provide tax credits for installing energy-saving technology, which will add to the savings.

NOTE: Sponsors like Improve a Roof  enable us to bring you expert content at no cost to you. Our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks.

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