HOW TEMPERATURE CHANGES AFFECT YOUR ROOF
Melbourne is quite well-known for its weather, fickle at best and confusing at worst. Don’t like it? Wait 15 minutes. What effect does temperature have on your roof, however?
Average annual temperatures in Melbourne, taken as a whole, aren’t too bad compared to many other climates, with lows of about 10°C and highs in the 25°C range and a yearly average temperature of about 14.8 °C. Nevertheless, fluctuations do affect the condition of your roof so it’s wise to take precautions in order to prevent costly repairs down the road.
Expansion and Contraction
It’s simple science that most things (except water) expand under heat and contract in cold temperatures. Your home and roof do the same. But how much do they expand under heat, and how often are these forces exerted on the roof? Frequent hot/cold spells and excessive severity of expansion can cause serious damage if your roof wasn’t installed properly.
Expansion Joints
If your home has brickwork, you’ll probably find little metal tabs inserted vertically every few bricks or so, or at least there should be an air gap on occasion. This isn’t sloppy work by the mason, but rather intentionally put in place to provide ‘breathing space’ as the bricks expand under heat.
Likewise, your roof should have been installed with ample expansion joints for the same reason. This should be your numero uno consideration with regards to temperature since a lack of expansion joints is a disaster waiting to happen.
Colour and Shade
If you’ve ever worn all-black on a hot summer day, no doubt you’ve scorched much more than if you had chosen white or a lighter shade. Roofs work the same way. White and light shades reflect sunlight better than black shingles, which can be 10°C hotter or more simply due to their colour.
More heat on the roof means more will seep into the home, requiring more use of your air conditioner and thus higher energy bills. Opt for lighter shades when installing or replacing roof shingles.
Seasonal Changes
On the macro level, yearly fluctuations in temperature will exert expansion forces on your roof. Melbourne’s constantly changing weather can be a daily occurrence, however, resulting in relatively quick day-to-day changes in weather from hot to cold. These smaller fluctuations are known as thermal shock. Think of it as your home ‘hyperventilating’ rather than taking deep, controlled breaths. This force can be a damaging one.
How to Deal With Temperature Changes
There are two options when it comes to dealing with the effects of temperature on your roof:
- Change the weather;
- Have your roof professionally installed, repaired, and maintained by a reputable roofer.
Realistically, the first option won’t happen anytime soon, so that’s why we recommend you contact a roofing contractor to determine your options for dealing with temperature changes to your roof.
With the right selection of materials, correct use of expansion joints, and a colour palette that can better keep excessive heat at bay, roofers can take all precautions necessary to keep your roof healthy even in Melbourne’s craziest temperature swings.
Roof Guard Roofing
The friendly roofing experts at Roof Guard Roofing understand the effects of weather and temperature on roofs across Victora, so contact us if you’d like to have your roof installed, repaired, or maintained professionally.