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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Indow has insulated more than 23,000 buildings - helping reduce carbon emissions by nearly 200,000 tons - and creating comfort across the US & Canada!

Reviews

Excellent

4.49 Average Rating

1546 Reviews

  • 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.

  • 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    My home is about 500 ft. from an interstate highway and had been looking for a solution to reduce the highway noise, especially 18-wheeler truck noise all night long. What pushed me to finally make a decision was the 9 month highway repair project with trucks moving back and forth with their loud beeping when going in reverse (every 20 seconds) all through the night, every week night. I opted for the acoustic inserts, which took 3 months to receive from the time of my order. I was not happy about the 3 month waiting period. I was very timely with measuring the windows which included an arched window which I had to trace. The measurement process required 10 hours of time, most of which was the tracing (including time and cost to make several trips to buy materials for this). When they finally arrived, I installed the inserts and had approximately a 30% reduction in decibel levels. After nearly $5,000 in costs, I was hoping to have had better noise reduction.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    I live in a house that’s over 100 years old so some of the windows are odd sizes and drafty. Originally I ordered 3 Indow window inserts for my dining room to try them out. I was so impressed with their appearance and effectiveness at insulating and reducing sound that I decided to order more. Recently I ordered another 9 Indow window units for my living room, bedrooms, bathroom, and kitchen. Both of the orders went very smoothly. They arrived well packaged and in perfect condition. I have already installed all of them and just in time as Chicago and most of the midwest has just been hit by a winter storm and blizzard with below freezing temperatures and 8-12 inches of snow. I couldn’t be happier they look fantastic as well as being practical and functional. My home is so much warmer and quieter now that they have been installed. Indow’s pricing was great and they gave me discounts as a returning customer and for bulk purchasing. Customer service, instructions and follow up were all excellent. Such a wonderful company and product.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    I had 7 indow windows installed for draft reduction in my master bedroom. I had a home energy assessor [ from our utility supplier BGE] who checked for drafts / air leaks using infra-red camera and he certified "no leaks". Or bedroom is definitely less colder this winter and I am very happy with the cost effectiveness and efficiency offered by Indow window.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    An excellent product. Very well made, easy to install. Great support. Improves room temperature.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    The process of ordering and installing is quite extensive. This was my first experience with the company and left me a bit overwhelmed, even though I have 50 years experience in home construction and maintenance. But the results are really satisfying.

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Everything fit. Installation was easy. I ordered almost 40 Indows and NO problems: clean, clearly marked for installation placement and can’t wait to NOT freeze this winter! Martin and Matt were beyond helpful!

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    The indows came and all fit perfictly. I am excited that I will no longer have to install the winterizing plastic sheets over our windows each winter. They are nearly invisible but I have the feeling that they will make a positive impact on our heating bills. Thank you!

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    I love my Indow windows. I was skeptical that anything would really block out noise but these really work and it’s made my life more enjoyable since I can sleep in peace. We live on a busy street so this investment was worth it. I would totally recommend them

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    A+++++++++

  • 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    The noise reductiion after installing the Indow Accoustic Inserts is remarkable. Whereas before we would be woken up by the start of commuter traffic at 6 AM, we now sleep soundly intil WE are ready to wake up. The ordering, measuring and installation instructions are very detailed, but if you follow them closely you will have a great finished product. The corners are a little tricky to get just right and it takes a little finagling to achieve the right look. They were packed and protected well enough that even FedEx didn't damage them. I would absolutely use them again.