When it comes to going green, few things in your home are going to make more difference than your roof. Your roof is what will look after your home and prevent heat from escaping (bear in mind that heat rises) or rain getting in, and it is also what will decide just how much space there is to heat, where you can fit your insulation and more. The roof itself is also a vast contraption that uses materials in its construction and of course if you are constantly having to repair it then this not going to help you go green much either.
So choosing your roof wisely is important, and specifically one of the most important aspects to consider is whether you want to go with a flat roof or a sloped roof. Here we will look at which is the best option for going green and how to make that decision.
Of course when going green and considering your roof there is no clear cut answer – the answer is going to be affected by your circumstances including the climate where you live and how you are going to be using your roof.
In terms of the actual construction and the materials used, a flat roof is the most efficient option for going green. This is because it uses the fewest materials in the most efficient way with just a single flat surface going across the top of your building. As you need to build a sloped roof up as well as across this makes it more difficult to achieve the same thing with the same amount of material. If you have a very large property then a flat roof is particularly important for going green as it will enable you to cover the whole area without having to build upwards. This then is why so many businesses and commercial properties have flat roofs. This is also great for absorbing heat if you are in a sunny country/state where you will find that the large surface area is great for absorbing heat and you will find that in many countries where it rarely rains and is generally warm, flat roofing is used.
However what you also need to bear in mind is how efficient this is at keeping the water off as well and that is then where sloped roofing comes into its own. The roof tiles used in sloped roofing are designed specifically to direct water down and off of them and this is with the help of gravity. This is important from a going green perspective because it means you won’t get water collecting on your roof. If you do get water collecting on your roof this would otherwise steal the building’s heat energy in order to try to evaporate and this would in turn mean your building was more difficult to heat. It might also result in mold appearing in your property and even leaks. Not only will these be bad for going green in terms of your heating bills, but they would also require repairing and that means more materials and energy used.
Sloped roofs are also preferable in terms of the insulation and with the large loft space that comes with sloped roofing you have more space to pack in insulation and thereby prevent heat from escaping from your home.
I don’t think that if you choose to make a flat roof for your house you will go green. Saving a little amount of materials is equal to almost zero. You will pay more after that. But, with sloped roves, even if you spent a little more money for materials you will not be forced to pay money on reparations or you will not waste heat. They are better for those who want going green.
I’m trying to go green however I can, but I wouldn’t have thought that even a roof can be important regarding going green. Now, with your help I understood the importance of choosing a right roof. I have luck, because, without knowing, my house has a sloped roof. I don’t have problems with it and I have never paid money to repair it. From the point of view of the heat I cannot make a difference because I don’t know how it is with a flat roof. But I’m very glad because I have the right roof above my head.
Have you guys seen houses with flat roves? I sincerely haven’t seen. But I think they would look ugly. A house is made to be with a sloped roof. I’m glad to hear that sloped roves are better regarding going green because my house has one.
I see there are some advantages and disadvantages on each type of roof. Flat roves are better because of the small amount of material used to build them but you lose heat. Sloped roves are better regarding going green because they keep the heat inside but you use more materials. What should I pick? A flat roof or a sloped roof?
I have never thought that you can go green even with a roof. My roof is a sloped roof. But I don’t think that when the house was made my parents thought on what kind of roof to do. Even so, I’m glad that I have this kind of roofs. This way I’m going green with my roof too.
From your article I understood that sloped roofs are better than flat ones. I have never thought that the type of the roof is so important. Sloped roofs are better for going green from many points of view I see… I’m sure when I will search for my own house I will search for one with a sloped roof. I want going green with everything I can.
Sloped roofs are better for your pocket too. As I can see in your article sloped roofs are more efficient in keeping the heat inside. This is good for going green and also good for saving money. If you don’t lose heat you don’t lose money. And moreover you don’t risk your roof to collect water and eventually to spend money on repairing it.
I didn’t think so much about roofs. So I find this article a very informative one. Many of your information are very helpful when you are in doubts and you do not know what roof to choose, a sloped roof or a flat one. And now, after reading your article I understood that the first one is better.
Thank you for the information!
As I can see from your article, sloped roofs are better than flat ones from many points of view. If I were to choose a roof I would definitely choose a sloped roof. Not because I’m interested in going green. I would choose the sloped one because with its help I could save money.
I will rank you article with 5 starts.
Keep going!
I had no idea about the advantages of owning a sloped roof instead of a flat roof. I consider this article being very interesting. Those who are interested in buying or building a house and are interested in going green too should read your article. They really must follow your advices if they want a green roof above their head. 😉