Energy Star, the popular program of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy's includes many roofing choices. Both residential and commercial property owner's can benefit from Energy Star approved products. But what does Energy Star have to do with roofing? The roof can be a great source of heat gain for any building. By using highly reflective roofing products, cooling costs can be reduced for the building. In fact, according to Energy Star's website, some roofing materials can reduce the roof surface temperatures by 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A "cool roof" can reduce the cooling requirements of an air conditioning system by up to fifteen percent. A cool roof, proper attic ventilation and insulation, combined can create ideal conditions for lowering heating and air conditioning costs. Products that qualify for the energy tax credit differ for residential and commercial properties. Homeowners can use products such as metal roofing and light colored asphalt shingles. Commercial properties can use highly reflective single ply membranes such as TPO thermoplastict polyolefin and coatings such as Acrymax AF-130. But even if your roof doesn't qualify for the tax credit, you can still enjoy the benefits of highly reflective roofing material. For instance, if you own a row home with a flat roof, chances are you may have a black hot asphalt built built up roof. Replacing this roof or coating this roof with a highly reflective product will have immediate benefits. To learn more about Energy Star home improvements, visi; energystar.gov. When considering tax credits, please consult your tax advisor. "ENERGY STAR qualified roof products must meet minimum initial and aged solar reflectance values." (Energystar.gov)
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