White rooftop keeps the house cooler
In recent years, many cities reached 50C in the summers. The high rise in temperature leads to the increased consumption of Air Conditioners and other cooling devices. The increase in the use of electricity meant more carbon emissions. One widely acclaimed solution is to paint the rooftops white.
Painting the rooftops white has been a common practice in African countries for centuries. Now the US, and European countries are also painting the rooftops white. In India, places with sweltering summers like Ahmedabad and Hyderabad are experimenting with white paints to experience a more relaxed summer.
There are several advantages of making white rooftop
Emits thermal heat
A white roof can emit the sunlight reflected on it and thereby keeps the inside of the house cooler. According to studies, the temperature of the inside of the house reduces by 7C.
Decreases carbon emissions
In many studies, the Air Conditioners (one of the main reasons for carbon emission) found lesser use when the rooftops were painted white.
Reduced maintenance of rooftops
White rooftops are maintenance-free as compared to dark rooftops. The darker rooftops reflect lesser sunlight. Thereby, cracks and damages appear on the roof. The maintenance cost will increase, and the damaged roof tiles will end up in debris.
How to make your rooftop white
Paint the roof with an inexpensive lime wash or with a more expensive reflective Coating
Use reflective asphalt shingles or clay.
For places where there are no winters, the white roof is a perfect solution. However, for locations like New Delhi, experts say that the white rooftops will make the house cooler in winter, increasing the demand for heating equipment. Besides, in places like Delhi, the roofs are used for storage and household chores. Hence the White roofs is not a possible solution here.
To conclude, a person in Delhi commented in one such post about white roofs that he found the white roofs helped him experience pleasant summer. So he will paint the rooftop white again every year.
50 comments