From Guest Blogger Dana: Federal Concern Increases Over Energy-Efficient Roofing

There’s been a lot of talk online by the US Energy Department and Environmental Protection Agency on energy-efficient roofing. As a concept, it makes perfect sense. Considering that the Federal Trade Commission’s data shows that heating and cooling currently account for half of a typical household’s utility bills, the anxiety regarding household energy efficiency has become a national cause for concern.

Evidence presented by the FTC shows that careless construction is a strong culprit in home energy inefficiency, one that is being experienced by too many homes in the US. Using lower quality construction material is a standard strategy when building residential homes. However, such choices come at a heavy long-term cost, both environmentally and financially.  Between windows, walls, and roofing, a home that is not built with energy-efficiency in mind can be impactful to national energy levels.

A low-efficiency, badly insulated roof can cause heat to be easily soaked in during the summer and retain it, much like a sauna. This in turn causes an excess in use of air conditioning, especially in regions that are experiencing hotter-than-average temperatures in the past few years. Likewise, during the winter, an inefficient roof will allow cold wind through while causing heat to escape, chilling the home. Areas suffering through subzero temperatures in the winter will use an astronomical amount of heating to compensate for the chilly temperature.  This has a severe impact on energy use on a national scale.

If you need a new roof that is environmentally friendly, there are discount options available as tax credits by the US federal government.  The Federal Roofing Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency was started with the aim of reducing emissions by incentivizing Americans to replace their roofs with a more energy efficient alternative. The amount of the credit could reach up to 30% of the material cost, reaching a maximum of $1500. The exact impact of this initiative is still to be seen and unfortunately, the program was only set up as a temporary tax credit that requires an annual federal renewal.

In addition to the tax credit,  The Energy Department has also created an online resource for home owners who are looking for tips on creating an energy-efficient roof and home. Besides replacing the roofing altogether for an environmentally-friendly alternative, they suggest a few alternative options which may help repel heat while reducing costs of roofing replacement significantly. Between these are retrofitting the roof with specialized heat-reflective material and covering the roof with a waterproof surface. Although this does not tackle the problem full on, it creates an option for those who can’t afford much more than replacing shingles, even with a tax credit option available.

On a state level, state governments such as that of California are also jumping on the band wagon towards incentivizing residents to make their home energy efficient. Those who increase the thermal value of their home’s insulation will be given tax rebates, an attractive option for home owners. This type of energy-efficiency rewards are expected to naturally spread throughout all states as concern over energy use increases.

It’s clear that increasing energy use in the US is cause for concern – as it continues to expand, national and state governments will have to take a stronger part in creating initiatives and programs to reduce residential and commercial energy use.