Energy Savings with Metal Roofs: How Much Can Canadian Homeowners Really Save

Professional Metal Roofing has been observing a growing interest from Canadian homeowners. Energy-efficient metal roofing has become a sought-after option as more people are considering this popular product for their home improvements. Can metal roofs really save money on heating and cooling costs? Read on to find out how much an energy-efficient metal roof can really help you save.

Why Energy-Efficiency Is Important for Canadian Houses

Canada’s unique climate zones present some specific challenges for homeowners. Winters are typically very cold in the Prairie Provinces, while summers in Ontario and Maritime Provinces can be hot and humid. Finding a roofing system that works well in both winter and summer is an important part of energy saving and cost reduction.

Energy efficiency is also especially important because:

• Heating and cooling are two of the largest expenses on any energy bill.
• Energy prices are constantly going up, so any percentage of savings matters.
• New building codes are increasingly focused on sustainability and carbon footprint reduction.
  

Metal roofing is part of the solution in all these cases because it can help reduce energy consumption and keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer.

The Ways a Metal Roof Can Provide Energy Savings

Solar Reflectivity is Key for Hot Summer Months

Summer is the biggest energy expense for homes in Canada. British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec all experience very high cooling bills during the summer when residents run air conditioners and fans day and night to beat the heat. An efficient metal roof can help reduce cooling costs through its reflective capabilities.

Metal roofs with high-quality reflective coatings can bounce back sunlight instead of absorbing it. This simple principle can translate into lower cooling costs because a metal roof prevents the attic from becoming an oven in the summer. By not heating up the house from above, a metal roof reduces the load on air conditioners, which have to work less hard.

Thermal Emittance for Year-Round Comfort

In addition to its solar reflectivity, a metal roof’s thermal emittance is another property that helps save energy and keep the home comfortable throughout the year. Thermal emittance is a measure of how quickly a surface can cool down after the sun goes down.

As any Canadian homeowner will know, summer nights are often still quite hot and sticky. A metal roof’s high thermal emittance means that the house will not experience any added heat from the roof when the temperatures drop at night. This can have a noticeable impact on cooling costs.

Combining Metal Roofing with Insulation

Winter heating is a big concern for homeowners across Canada. The Prairie Provinces, as well as Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, all have significant heating costs during the winter season when residents crank up the furnace to keep warm. In these cases, a metal roof can still be part of the solution.

By combining a metal roof with quality attic insulation, Canadian homeowners can ensure that their roof does not lose heat in the winter. This can lead to a 10–15% reduction in winter heating bills.

Compatibility with Cool Roof Technology

Professional Metal Roofing offers many products that are eligible for the “cool roof” designation. Cool roofs are designed to meet strict standards for solar reflectance and thermal emittance, using the most advanced pigments and materials available on the market today.

Cool metal roofs are able to reduce peak cooling demand by 15–25% during the summer months by using passive solar design principles.

How Much Money Canadian Homeowners Can Really Save

The exact amount of money saved on energy bills by installing an energy-efficient metal roof will vary based on location, home design, and other factors. However, the average results are as follows:

• Cooling Costs: A well-installed, reflective metal roof can reduce cooling costs by 20–40% during the peak summer season in Canada.
• Heating Costs: A properly installed metal roof can reduce heating costs by 10–15% in the winter in colder provinces.
• Total Annual Energy Bill Reduction: All told, Canadian homeowners can see 10–25% reduction in their total annual energy bill when they switch to metal roofing.

Visit the our works gallery to see how a new energy-efficient metal roof can transform any home.

Factors that Influence Energy Savings

Climate Zone

Canadian provinces differ significantly in their climate, which means that a metal roof’s energy performance can also change significantly depending on location. Cooling is more of an issue in coastal areas, while interior and northern homes benefit more from energy-efficient winter heating.

Roof Color and Finish

Lighter colored roofs are better for reflecting heat in the summer, while darker roofs can absorb heat and help keep a home warm in the winter. Selecting the right roof color for your climate zone is an important consideration.

Insulation Quality

A metal roof is only as good as the rest of the home’s energy envelope. Upgrading attic insulation is key to maximizing energy savings when installing a new metal roof.

Roof Orientation

Homes with large south-facing roof slopes will have the most to gain from reflective roof coatings and cool roof technologies.

Metal Roofing vs. Asphalt Shingles

While asphalt shingles are a very common roofing choice for Canadian homeowners, they are not as energy efficient as metal roofs for a few reasons:

• Asphalt shingles absorb more solar heat and then release it slowly, which makes attics and homes hotter during the summer.
• Metal roofing reflects solar heat better and has higher thermal emittance, which both reduce HVAC strain.
• Advanced coatings and pigments used on metal roofs improve energy performance and also increase durability.

Metal roofing is a proven way to both lower energy consumption and save money on energy bills over the life of the roof.

Environmental and Financial ROI

Lower energy use also means fewer greenhouse gas emissions and a smaller carbon footprint. Metal roofs are often made of recycled materials and are 100% recyclable at the end of their life, which makes them a very eco-friendly choice for Canadian homeowners.

Financially, while the initial cost of a metal roof is higher, the combination of energy savings, low maintenance costs, and increased resale value mean that a metal roof can often pay for itself in 7–10 years. Some Canadian provinces even offer incentives for metal roofing to encourage energy-efficient building.

Tips to Help Increase Energy Savings

• Select the best-rated roof coatings for the best reflectivity.
• Professional installation is a must if you want to ensure the maximum energy performance from your roof.
• Pairing a metal roof with an upgraded attic insulation will give you the best results in terms of energy savings.
• Carefully choose the color of the roof based on your local climate conditions.
• Metal roofs can easily integrate solar panels. Solar panels can be mounted directly on a metal roof for even more savings.
  

Conclusion

Metal roofing is a solution that is more than just a durable covering for your home. A metal roof can help save energy, lower heating and cooling costs, and provide better year-round comfort. By taking a proactive approach to metal roofing, Canadian homeowners can save 10–40% on their annual energy bills.

Contact Professional Metal Roofing if you’re ready to lower your energy bills and future-proof your home for decades to come. Find out how you can save money with an energy-efficient metal roof by contacting us and getting a free estimate.