“Going green”, or making the most of eco-friendly ideas and technologies, is a great way to improve your home and lifestyle. It can help to save you money on energy bills, while also being better for the environment, too. And one of the best places to start going green with your home is with the roof. There are several ways you can make your roof eco-friendly and this guide will give you a few great examples.
One of the most popular and obvious ways you can make your roof greener is by installing some solar panels. With a solar panel or two on your roof, your home can start to benefit from renewable, clean solar energy.
It may not be enough to power your whole home, but it can be used to help with things like heating water for showers and baths. Plus, once you’ve covered the installation costs, having a solar system can be a way to rapidly reduce your energy expenses throughout the year.
Another way you can make your roof more eco-friendly is to consider replacing all or parts of it with greener materials. Materials like recycled tires and plastics, as well as metals and clay tiles, can all be used on roofs.
These materials are better for the planet and may help to improve the insulation quality of your roof, too. However, not all materials may work on your home, so it’s best to speak with a master roofer to get some advice on the right material.
A more drastic way to turn your roof into a green space is to quite literally make it green by adding real plants and grasses. The “living roof” concept is becoming more popular in many parts of the world and basically involves applying a small layer of soil onto the roof to allow plants to grow.
Again, this won’t work for every roof, so you’ll need to speak with specialists to find out more. However, if you do choose this option, having plants on the roof is a great way to make it more beautiful and improve insulation, too.
Homeowners can also consider some little additions to their roofs to make them more eco-friendly. For example, adding an overhang to your roof can help to keep more heat inside and reduce your reliance on fossil fuels for heating.
You could also consider adding a water barrel and rainwater collection system. With this, you’ll be able to reuse rain water and cut down on the amount of wastewater your home produces.
If you’re interested in reducing your usage of fossil fuels, saving money, and making your home more nature-friendly, we can help. Contact Northeast Home & Energy today to find out more about how we can modify or enhance your roof to make your home a greener place.
