First consider that northern cities have fewer sunny daylight hours during the cold winter months.
Why are most roofs dark.
Indeed that recent mcgraw.
This algae growth usually begins as small spots and then eventually becomes visible streaks.
Thus whatever heat is transmitted into the attic or into living.
It appears in streaks or patches of slime that can be anywhere from blue green to dark black.
For regions that experience snowfall throughout the winter months the heat from a black roof may help melt the snow on the roof and prevent ice damming.
Therefore dark roof shingles are beneficial in colder climates where winters are particularly long and summers are brief.
Even darker colored metal roofs will allow less heat to penetrate and get into the home than the lightest colored standard shingles and tiles.
A dark roof color can tap heat from the sun and transmit it into your home making it warmer.
As a result your energy bills will gradually escalate.
During winter your home needs heating.
Modern metal roofing often is coated with special finishes that actually reflect the heat from the sun s rays away from it.
First hot air always rises.
How roof color affects snow melt.
But do dark roofs really help snow melt away.
There are a number of reasons that dark roofing materials are not as energy efficient as advertised.
Probably not as much as you think.
The most common type is known as gloeocapsa magma also known as blue green algae.
Although these dark spots and ugly black streaks on your roof may look like dirt mildew soot or mold what they really are is algae.
At the top of the list of metal roofing pros the material s long lifespan is why most homeowners make the switch in either a re roofing or new construction.
This notion is another reason dark roofs remain popular in northern areas like the twin cities.
The reason goes back to basic school physics of course black or dark coloured surfaces absorb a great deal more heat energy than do white or light coloured.
While both black and white roofs provide their own advantages and disadvantages it can be difficult to know which one will work best for you.
Roof algae rarely poses a threat to the health of the roof.