What Technology Is Developing The Future Of The Roofing Industry

Roofing contractors of Napa, California share the future of roofing technology with their customers.

Roofing Types of the Future

No matter what industry is under discussion, technology has advanced significantly over the past 100 years and has changed the landscape of business. The roofing supply and repair industry is no exception. The leaps in technology over the past few decades have proven beneficial to roofing as much as any other industry. This article will discuss recent trends in roofing and how they are beneficial for both residential and commercial roofing.

Kickin’ it Old School: Green Roofing

Rooftop gardens are nothing new, but sometimes moving forward means improving something old. Green roofs are roofs that are, in fact, made to grow plants. This is not only ecologically friendly, producing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air, but this can also improve the efficiency of the home due to the insulating properties of the soil and plants. 

Now this is not as easy as just adding dirt to your roof. This must be planned out, and there are multiple layers involved, including a waterproof base and a drainage layer to prevent water damage. It may look simple but should be installed by roofing experts.

Using the Sun: Cooling and Solar Roofs

The sun is a nearly infinite source of clean energy, at least in the scale of human existence.  Now that people have been able to apply that power, the use of solar-based energy has increased exponentially.  Recent technology has also changed the way we look at how roofs should work. 

Roofing companies now consider ways to increase the reflective power of roofs to keep temperatures down and improve the energy efficiency of the home’s cooling system. Cooling roofs use tiles with a highly reflective coating that bounces the sunlight off instead of absorbing it as traditional asphalt shingles do. A roofing company may even be able to upgrade your old roof with a reflective coating rather than a complete replacement. 

Solar shingles are another recent advancement that takes advantage of the sun’s energy. These shingles are photovoltaic cells that collect energy from the sun and make a great supplemental electricity source.

Below are listed a few of the advantages of these innovative shingles.

• Solar shingles are lighter than traditional solar panels while performing the same function.
• Solar shingles are still shingles and protect the roof.
• Though they are expensive, they are a great investment in the future that doesn’t undermine the look of your home.

Robotic Roofers

The use of robots is fairly common in industry at this point. Manufacturing has been using machines to streamline processes since the earliest days of human history. Robots make our lives much easier, and they now have great applications in roofing repair and roofing replacement.

Some of the machines that can be used and their skill sets are listed below.

• Drones:  Drones are the perfect tool for roof inspection. This prevents the danger of a roofer having to get on top of a roof to inspect it. The drone with a camera allows a bird’s eye view of the roof and makes it simple to assess the need for roof repair.
• Rovers: These little guys can move along a roof and actually perform a few roofing maintenance tasks. While there is no chance of them completely replacing people doing roof leak repair, they are definitely helpful in allowing workers to keep their feet on the ground a bit longer.
• Augmented Reality (AR): This was once just a part of certain games but has been hugely helpful in the industry to allow people to see what their roof can look like before it is completed. It makes decision-making easier for both customers and contractors. 

About Modern Method Roofing

After more than 60 years of business in Napa, CA and the surrounding areas, Modern Method Roofing has demonstrated that they offer reliable workmanship and excellent customer service. Call today for a free estimate.