Protecting Your Roof From Solar Damage
Sydney’s climate is unique in that it gets a lot of very harsh sunshine throughout the entire year. As most homeowners know, sunshine causes paint to thin, wood and clay to crack and metal to lose its lustre. These can be expensive and time-consuming to repair year after year, especially if your house does not get much shade. In the blog below we discuss Sydney’s climate and solar exposure, how solar rays impact roofs, what Sydney’s roofs are made of, challenges that face Sydney’s roofs and solar-protective roofing solutions.
Sydney’s Climate and Solar Exposure
Sydney’s climate is very mild, with average temperatures during the warmer months experiencing temperatures from 25-30°C. Its UV index is relatively high, with an average of 236 sunny days experienced each year and highly intense levels of radiation beamed onto the sunny little town. The UV index in Sydney often registers as ‘very high’ or ‘extreme’.
How Solar Rays Impact Roofs
Ongoing exposure to sunlight can cause UV degradation, thermal expansion and erosion of paint, wood, clay and metal materials used in roofing. The signs of solar damage are usually fairly evident to the naked eye: fading, cracks and warping are the most-common signs of solar damage affecting roofing materials. Paint feels the brunt of these effects the most, while wood and clay roofing will crack and fade, but not warp. Metal roofing materials are the most resilient, but will still fade in sheen if they are exposed to sunlight for an extended period of time.
Specific Challenges for Sydney Roofs
Sydney roofs face unique challenges because of the rare environmental conditions that materialise here. Prolonged exposure to sunlight is one challenge, coastal proximity another, rapid temperature fluctuations are another, as are extreme weather events. Rapid heating and cooling of roofing material can cause it to become damaged more easily. Extreme weather events are a force unto themselves and can manifest damage to roofs. Finally, as mentioned, prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause roofs to crack, fade and warp.
Solar Protective Roofing Solutions
In Sydney’s climate, where sunny days and high UV radiation levels are common, it’s essential to invest in roofing materials and solutions that can withstand solar damage. Here are a few options:
Metal Roofing: Metal roofing, such as Colorbond, is a popular choice due to its durability and resistance to UV radiation.
Solar-Reflective Roof Coatings: Solar-reflective roof coatings are specially designed to reflect sunlight and heat away from the roof’s surface.
Cool Roofs: Cool roofs are designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than standard roofs.
Tile Roofs with Reflective Glazes: Clay or concrete tile roofs with reflective glazes can help reduce solar heat gain.
Contact Solar Proofing Sydney Today
If you are looking to protect your roof from the harsh sunlight experienced most days in Sydney, please contact Solar Proofing Sydney today to ask us if we can help you safeguard your roof against the weather! We are solar proofing professionals with many years of experience and understand what it takes to get a job done well and produce a long-lasting result. Contact us now on 0468 433 829.