White Roofs Keep Your House Cool

white roofs help keep your house cool

Do you live somewhere with hot summers? A white roof can make a huge difference in your home temperature, energy savings, and the longevity of your roof.

Think about it: in summer we tend to wear light-colored clothes – as opposed to dark ones – because they reflect heat and keep us from getting too hot. White roofs have a similar effect, benefiting both us and the environment.

There are a number of ways you can add a white roof to your home:

  • Paint an existing dark roof with a reflective white coating that has a solar reflectance index (SRI) as high as 90 percent
  • Solar reflective asphalt shingles or clay
  • concrete or fiber cement tiles

The “Heat Island Effect”

Urban areas tend to be hot because we’ve replaced plants with asphalt. Not only that, but they are covered in other dark surfaces, like roofs, and a lot of people. All the dark surfaces absorb lots of heat and don’t reflect enough of it.

The urban heat island effect, as it’s called, contributes to climate change by forcing people to use lots of energy to cool their homes. White roofs help solve this by absorbing significantly less heat, which lowers the overall temperatures in the area. Those cooler temperatures also lead to less smog!

White Roofs Can Save You Money

White roofs absorb much less heat, the interior of your house will stay cooler, reducing the need for air conditioning. Another way to keep your house cool if you live in a hot climate is to use UV blocking window inserts. They block solar heat gain through your windows. Both strategies cut your energy consumption, reduce your carbon footprint, and save you money.

White roofs usually last twice as long as black roofs since they don’t absorb heat which can crack and warp them. They have longer warranties and require less maintenance and repairs. Since they don’t have to be replaced as often, they reduce waste going to the landfills.

A roof white is a great DIY project for someone experienced in home repair. But, if you have never done any work on your roof, or the prospect makes you uneasy, consider hiring professional roofing contractors.

Want other tips for keeping your home cool and saving energy during the summer? Read our blog: How to Block Sunlight Heat from Windows.

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1557 Reviews

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  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Easy to install. They don’t detract from the decor of the room.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    We have a very old home that started as a one room cabin in 1935 in the mountains of CA It has been added on to numerous times and the former owner changes out all of the windows to duel pane except one funky non opening window in a bedroom. Very cold in the winter. We needed a good solution. Found this company, and we are delighted with our purchase. Fits perfectly and is sturdy. Thank you for solving our problem!

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    My Indow insert works really well at cutting down the traffic noise from the street outside, which was my goal when purchasing this insert. I have a large window and with the detailed measuring instructions, I got a good fit. It was not difficult to

    install even by myself, as one person. This company was recommended to me by a friend, and I will now highly recommend this company if you are looking for great customer service and a quality produce. Thank you!

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Very high quality materials used in the design and construction of window inserts and easy installation and care videos. Top notch communications of the product progression phases and questions answered in a timely manner.

    I am very impressed with these inserts and the high degree of care that went into their construction and delivery. Very good company and I thank all the workers for the good craftsmanship you provide to such a wonderful product.

    Well done.

    Craig

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    We purchased a total of 7 Indow 'Acoustic' Window inserts for the purpose of reducing the level of noise inside our home from our neighboring home's outdoor A/C - Heatpump units on either side. We couldn't be more pleased with the results. The noise level is reduced (NOT completely) but to the degree that we find ourselves looking out the window on occasion to see whether or not those outside units are actually running. There is a dramatic reduction in the noise level from prior to our installation. Thank you Indows!!

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Window replacement is so expensive. Indow window inserts are a great alternative to extend the life of your windows. Since we had no mechanical issues with the windows inserts were a good choice.

    The staff was great to work with. They gladly answered any questions I had. The inserts were very well packaged for shipping. It was a fine experience from start to finish.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    We received our windows and installed them right away. We live very close to a busy highway behind our home, so noise has always been an issue. We ordered the acoustic inserts for three windows, and I can honestly say I noticed a difference immediately. The sound isn’t completely gone (which is understandable with a highway nearby), but it has been reduced enough that I no longer need to sleep with earplugs, which is a huge win for us.

    The customer service was also great — they were helpful and kept us updated throughout the entire process. Installation was fairly easy, and the installation videos were very clear and helpful. Overall, we’ve been very happy with our experience and have already recommended this product to a friend.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    The indow window company and their staff are great Partners in battling the cold winter drafts coming through your windows and helps keep your home warm and cozy.. Wonderful company and great customer service..

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Overall I am happy with the results. They do exactly what is advertised online.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    We ordered the Thermo insulation inserts for our cabin off the Blue Ridge Parkway in VA. The windows are old and drafty and with the wind and the cold that has happened this year, the inserts have really came through. We used to see the curtains move when the wind was blowing hard and the cold would come right through the windows. After installing the inserts, which was so easy, there is a night and day difference with the window inserts and the house is actually warmer and the heat is not running constantly. These inserts have saved us thousands of dollars in window replacments and you can not even tell that the inserts are in the windows. Thank you Window Inserts for all your help.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Excellent product for windows outside noise problems. Bought 2 Indow inserts for our bedroom windows. I was hesitant at first, but after installing our new acoustic Indows I was impressed. It really cut down on outside noise tremendously. Got few estimates for 2 new windows to replace the old ones. The cost of installing new windows was a shocker. Now, I am happy with my choice to go with Indows. Highly recommend!

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    This was the easiest install, as well the team are amazing, get right on a call answer the questions, there support is fantastic. I measured all my windows live near a street looking to knock down the noise.

    I tested this bought Indows installed them Noise went down shipping, timing and quality was great.

    Now I’ll install 4 more.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Thank you indows! We are very happy with our 5 new indows which were delivered by Fedex and in

    perfect shape when opened. Our dining room and adjoining room are warmer in the cold, which is a bit more this winter

    The indows were installed easily by myself and my wife as expected and look great. In total we have installed 8 of your products. Thank you again, Randy and Mary Jane.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    The inserts came as scheduled. They were crated very well. They fit perfectly. Great product and service.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Quick delivery and the windows fit very well even with how many anomolies there were in our 107 year old house. Installation took longer than I expected with 12 units to install, but once I figured out what I was doing it went much quicker. We ordered white frames with the plan to eventually repaint all the interior trim. In the mean time, the frames hide very well with our curtains and sheers. We are glad to get the decreased noise and improved thermal performance without ruining the exterior of this historic home.