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The funny thing about solar panels is that just having panels above your ceiling cool your house a ton. It makes me wonder if people in hot climates that can't
by nostromo 7y ago
The funny thing about solar panels is that just having panels above your ceiling cool your house a ton.
It makes me wonder if people in hot climates that can't afford solar shouldn't just put white glossy panels a foot above their roof.
There are a lot of other obvious, non-exotic things we can do, like require a certain amount of tree coverage and reduce the spread of concrete surfaces. We could also use shade sails a ton more than we do (which are nice because they can be removed in the winter).
- kranner 7y agoEven white glossy paint gets the job done. My parents recently had the roof of their house painted white and the indoor temperature has dropped by what feels like at least 5 degrees Celsius. This is in super hot North Indian summer.
- cr0sh 7y agoOne thing that was found with solar panels is that because they are dark colored, they heat up in the sun, and on an angled roof, the gap between the panel and the roof has a "chimney" effect that draws the air up and out the top edge of the panels, which helps to cool the roof.
- ianburrell 7y agoPainting roofs white, or using light-colored shingles, keeps buildings cooler. It sounds like white paint is easiest for flat commercial roofs. http://www.whiteroofproject.org/ http://www.whiteroofproject.org/
- Loughla 7y agoHonestly, when we re-roof our home when the shingles go, we're putting on a white roof. I'm sure it will tank the resale value because it will be the only white roofed home in my county or even region, but the cost savings on cooling has to make up for that, to me.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- pkaye 7y agoYou can get light grey shingles. Might look fine if it works with the paint color of the walls.
- goda90 7y agoIt would be nice if there were a cheap way to have a white roof in the summer and a black roof in the winter. Perhaps some kind of temperature sensitive paint that darkens when it drops below 60F or something.
- pkaye 7y agoThere is something termed cool roofs. Basically the roofing material reflects a little more light.
- wasdfff 7y agoIn the usvi every house has a white gloss roof