One newer craze that is becoming very popular, especially in bigger cities throughout the U.S., is green roofs. Also known as vegetated or living roofs, these unique constructs can make your roof more functional and appealing. Below, we’ll dive into what these roofs are and their benefits and drawbacks for your convenience.
What Are Green Roofs?
Green roofs are comprised of living plants and shrubbery. They are installed directly over your existing roofing material and use a specialized membrane to protect your roofing from water intrusion. Green roofs have a growing medium, like soil, where plants can flourish.
The Benefits of Green Roofs
The reason green roofs have been growing in popularity is due to the vast number of benefits they offer homeowners and communities alike. Before deciding if this is the right roofing option for your home, it’s best to understand the various advantages it can provide you and your family.
Cooling Roofing
Green roofing can be a great option for enhancing the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling systems. During the hot summer months, the plants will actively absorb heat from the sun. This minimizes the amount of heat your roof actually absorbs. Conversely, during the winter, a green roof will provide an extra insulation barrier to keep your warm air inside and the cold air outside.
Reduced Rainwater Runoff
When heavy rainstorms let loose, they can rain down a ton of water on your roof. Traditionally, your gutter system will work tirelessly to remove all that water and relocate it to a location away from your home’s foundation. With a green roof, a lot of that water gets directly absorbed into the plants and soil. This reduces the load on your gutter system and minimizes the amount of rainwater runoff on your property.
Longer Roof Lifespan
A traditional roof will be exposed to the elements, like ultraviolet radiation from the sun, wind, and rain. When you install a green roof with a waterproof membrane, it works to extend the overall longevity of your roofing material underneath. Without being constantly exposed to the elements, your roof can last anywhere between two and three times its estimated lifespan. This can save you a bundle on roofing costs.
Wildlife Habitats
Having a garden on your roof can be a great way to help local wildlife. From birds to bees, your plants can create crucial shade and living spaces for wildlife in your area. This can be especially beneficial if you live in an urban community that lacks parks and other green spaces.
Home Garden
Green roofs are becoming a popular alternative to traditional gardens. They’re especially great for those who don’t have a lot of land with their property. You can turn your rooftop into an all-year-round garden to produce fresh food for your family.
Noise Reduction
Having any barrier to the outdoors will help dampen the sounds you hear. However, a green roof can significantly reduce outside noise due to its multiple sound-dampening layers. If you live in the city, this can be a huge advantage, as you can enjoy a much quieter home.
Aesthetic Benefits on Home Value
Green roofs have a beautiful natural beauty that they can bring to your home. Not only do they provide a quiet home nature retreat, but they also enhance the overall look of your property. Because of this boost in curb appeal, you may enjoy a higher home resale value.
Fire-Resistant Layer
One thing no one wants to think about is a fire coming into contact with their home. When you install a green roof, you get the added peace of mind that your roof will be highly resistant to fire. The moisture in the soil will make the roof much harder to burn.
Perfect Pairing With Solar Panels
The addition of solar panels to a green roof creates what is known as a biosolar roof, which can be an ideal environment for many homeowners. The green-roofing materials will reduce the temperature on your roof, which will keep your solar panels at a good temperature for optimal operating efficiency. On the other hand, using solar panels on a very hot bare roof can lead to a decrease in performance when the summertime temperatures get too hot.
Mental Health Boost
Being out in nature is one of the best natural ways to boost your mental well-being. Study after study shows that spending a little time each day in greenery can significantly lower anxiety and boost mental clarity. Adding a green space to your home can be highly beneficial for boosting your mental health and the mental health of those around you.
The Drawback of Green Roofs
There’s absolutely no doubt that green roofs can provide a lot of advantages for the average homeowner. However, as with anything in life, green roofs also have their fair share of disadvantages. Before making your ultimate decision of whether a green roof is right for your home, it’s best to first understand its disadvantages.
Increased Structural Load
Adding more roofing layers, growing medium, and plants can increase the structural load on your home. It’s very common for our installers to add structural support beams to homes where green roofs are installed. This comes at a higher upfront cost than just using traditional roofing materials.
More Invasive Repair Process
If your entire roof is going green, then you’ll have growing medium and plants all over your roof. Whenever you have a problem, like a leak in your attic, it can be more labor-intensive to identify the source of the leak. This is because our roofer will need to remove the growing medium and plants in the area of the leak to successfully access it and repair the roof leak.
Requires Maintenance
With a traditional shingle roof, all homeowners really need to do is get an annual roof inspection and keep the roof structure and gutters clear of sticks and leaves. A few cleanings or a protective coating might be necessary if moss grows, but for the most part, there’s no need to do any other maintenance to keep your roof in tip-top condition. Unfortunately, things aren’t that easy with a green roof; you’ll have to regularly water your plants to keep them green and flourishing. You can help to minimize your workload by installing drought-tolerant plants that are very low maintenance.
Extensive Installation Process
When you get a traditional roof, your roofer will need to carry shingles and their application tools onto your roof. However, when you get a green roof, the installation process is much more complicated. After installing the large waterproofing membrane, the roofers will need to add the soil and an abundance of plants. The height of your roof and its overall accessibility from the ground can play a big role in how labor-intensive the installation process is.
Reliable Roof Replacement Service
Fraser Roofing, LLC provides reliable roof replacement service for the Atlanta, GA and the surrounding areas. We can gladly assist with all your roofing installation, repair, and maintenance needs. Call Fraser Roofing, LLC today to book your next service consultation with one of our friendly roofing professionals!
