8 Awesome Reasons To Go For Eco Roofing

Eco roofing materials are the go-to solutions when building your new home

Whether you’re looking to build a new home or simply upgrade your present home, eco roofing should be in the cards. 

You see, over the decades our homes have used readily available solutions like asphalt shingles for roofing. 

However, traditional roofing products like asphalt are highly damaging to the ecology both during and after their lifespan. As such, switching over to an environmentally-safe solution makes sense. 

And while the sustainable and ecologically sound nature of eco-friendly building materials, roofing included, are well known, roofing materials in particular have much more in store. That’s because not only do eco-friendly roofing solutions feature unparalleled longevity but also need far lesser maintenance. 

Not to forget, eco roofing materials can reduce your dependence on the HVACs, thus significantly bringing down your utility bills. 

That sounds impressive, doesn’t it? 

There are many more reasons why green roofing on your home can benefit you and the ecology alike. So let’s have a look up close. 

#1. Eco roofing solutions protect the planet

To begin with, there’s the most obvious reason, that sustainable roofing alternatives help protect the environment. 

But how exactly do they do so? 

Well, as we discussed earlier, shingles made with materials like asphalt cause ecological damage on an unprecedented scale. Here’s how: 

• First, the manufacturing of asphalt involves a highly unsustainable process which leads to high amounts of Co2 emissions, among others.
• Second, after their service life, asphalt shingles mostly end up in landfills. And the fact that petroleum is a major ingredient in these shingles means they’ll pollute the area they’re dumped in. 

On top of that, the fact that asphalt shingles have a fairly lower lifespan points to a higher rate of production and discarding. 

Now, contrary to shingles such as these, producing green roofing materials causes far fewer emissions. 

Further, most of the sustainable roof materials are recyclable too, meaning they need not be dumped off at the end of their life cycle. And even if these materials are discarded, being biodegradable in nature, they won’t cause any environmental damage. 

#2. They make for a solid roofing 

Compared to their unsustainable counterparts, eco roofing shingles provide you with a way more sturdy solution. 

You see, materials like asphalt and fiberglass, despite their popularity, are not very solid and in some cases lack the required wind resistance capabilities. And that’s precisely why such shingles can’t stand extreme weather conditions. 

In fact, these roofing shingles are most susceptible to wear, tear, and being ripped off during storms. 

On the other hand, eco-friendly solutions like metal roofing, eco-shake shingles, etc., are the sturdiest roofing alternatives you’ll find on the market. So much so that they’re rigorously tested for strength and come certified with a class 4 impact rating. 

And that means no matter whether there’s hail or hurricane, your roofing shingles will stand strong. 

#3. Nothing beats the longevity of eco roofing materials

When it comes to choosing a roof that can last you for decades, eco-friendly roofing products are something you should prioritize. 

Wondering why? 

Here are some instances of excellent longevity that eco roofing products offer: 

1. Steel shingles like the Decra metal roof tiles are the best in terms of endurance, as they can easily last you 50 years and more. Also, since such shingles call for little to no maintenance, you need not look back on upkeep for years. 
2. Another great example of long-lasting roofing is the eco-shake shingles. That’s because not only do they have a long service life spanning half a decade but are also covered by a transferable warranty for the entire time period. 
3. Further, even though solar roofing shingles don’t match the above solutions in terms of service life, they can still last anywhere between 25 and 40 years. 

Now, coming back to conventional roofing solutions like asphalt shingles, they only last for 15-20 years on average. 

So there is no comparison with eco roofing products when talking about the years of service. 

#4. Eco roofing products can save you on utility bills

What if we told you that roofing your home can save you money? 

Eco-friendly roofing materials can do so for you by bringing down your utility bills significantly, up to zero in some instances. 

How, you may ask? 

Let’s have a look at some ways these shingles can save you bucks: 

• Apart from the sturdy and long-lasting roofing products that metal shingles make, they can also have the features of a cool roof. Also, some steel shingles and tiles have great insulating properties, thus naturally maintaining the ambient temperature of your home. As such, these roofing materials will reduce the drag on energy-intensive HVAC systems, thus bringing down your energy bills. 
• Similarly, products like the Apollo solar roofing tile and shingle are sure to bring your utility bills down to zero. That’s because these materials incorporate the photovoltaic technology of solar panels into roofing shingles, providing you with both aesthetic roofing and energy generation systems. The result: you can take your home’s energy systems completely off the grid and even recover your upfront roofing investment by doing so. 

#5. You can become eligible for tax credits with eco-friendly shingles

If you’re thinking that eco roofing solutions are all about saving energy, you’re in for a bit of a surprise. 

You see, to incentivize green building materials like eco roofing for new home/building construction projects, the US Green Building Council offers LEED certification. 

Herein, you can become eligible for LEED points when building your home with sustainable housing products. Also, you can earn these points by adhering to USGBC criteria like low emissions, ecologically sound waste management, indoor health and environmental standards, and more. 

Based on the above, there are multiple levels of LEED certification that your property can qualify for. And that includes Platinum (80+ points), Gold (60-79 points), Silver (50-59 points), and Certified (40-49 points). 

Further, depending on your LEED certification, you can avail of multiple federal, state, and local tax credits. 

Awesome, isn’t it? 

There’s more to it

Very similar to the LEED certification program, the federal government also offers an Investment Tax Credit when you install solar shingles or panels. 

Also known as the federal ITC, this scheme makes you eligible for a 30 percent tax credit on your initial solar investment. Meaning, you can recover up to 30 percent of the total amount you invest in solar roofing by availing of the scheme. 

So there you have it, more reasons to switch over to eco-friendly roofing solutions. 

#6. Sustainable roofs are aesthetically pleasing too

For a long time, there has been a notion that eco-friendly roofing products aren’t as elegant as transitional materials like wood shakes and shingles. But that’s not the case with innovative green roof materials which rather enhance your home’s exterior beauty. 

For instance, while it’s true that classical wood roofs are very aesthetically charming, roofing solutions like eco-shake shingles provide you with the exact same look. 

In fact, eco-shakes are designed to replicate the wood shingles, meaning you need not compromise on eco-friendliness to have elegant roofing. 

Likewise, metal shingles are designed to replicate old-school Italian villa tiles, wood shingles, and more. 

Not to forget, metal roofing materials also bring sturdiness and longevity to your overall roofing system apart from aesthetics. 

Amazing, right? 

#7. Sustainable roofing is more cost-efficient than you think 

The fact that eco-friendly roofing materials are packed with features might create an impression that they’re expensive. 

Nevertheless, contrary to what you may assume, green roofs are actually very budget-friendly. And in most cases, you’ll spend less than you’d on traditional roofing shingles. 

For instance, asphalt shingles can cost you up to $5.50 per square foot, and wood shingles, at the same time can cost upward of $9 per square foot. 

On the other hand, you can get high-quality metal roofing shingles for as much as $3.10 per square foot. 

That’s quite affordable indeed, isn’t it? 

#8. Easy and DIY-friendly roofing installation

When it comes to installation, regular roofing shingles simply lack the ease that their eco roofing counterparts offer. 

Take, for instance, wood shakes that require you to install roof reinforcements since they’re heavyweight. Also, the fact that handling such materials calls for expertise means you’ll have to hire installation labor, thus inflating the bills. 

Sustainable roofing materials, at the same time, are lightweight and simple to install, thus offering you a DIY-friendly installation. 

Some things to consider before choosing a roofing material for your home: 

1. You should factor in the local climate before settling for a particular type of shingle. For example, if your area is prone to storms or hurricanes, then metal roofing should definitely be your priority. 
2. The roofing on your home should be such that complements its architectural features. As such, it’s always good to have your home’s design in mind when choosing shingles. For instance, if your home features a classical design, metal villa tiles should be your go-to roofing choice. 
3. Look for a material that can last you for the longest duration. After all, you don’t want to invest in new roofing systems or spend a huge sum maintaining them every few years. 
4. Take into account your budget and go for the optimum roofing solution in that range. For example, metal roofing shingles provide a solid solution on a low budget. However, a bit high in price, solar shingles have their own rewards. 

The final words

As you can see, there are endless reasons why making the switch to sustainable housing in general, and eco roofing, in particular, is totally worthwhile. 

And if looking to build a new home, now is the best time to build one with sustainable building materials. That’s because, with traditional construction materials and labor short in supply, the cost of conventional housing is already skyrocketing. 

Nonetheless, on the bright side, not only are green materials more cost-effective but also readily available with DIY guides, something that also holds for eco-friendly roofing. 

Looking for one such roofing solution for your new home? 

You can reach out to us!  

At Eco-$mart Inc, we have the largest inventory of top-of-the-line sustainable roofing materials from globally renowned manufacturers. 

So whatever be your roofing requirement, you can look us up.