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Can Roofing be Environmentally Friendly?
Breianna Dahl • Oct 29, 2020
I don’t know about you, but I have begun to work towards ways of reducing the amount of waste in my life. For me, it came from the realization that the more waste there was in my life, the more money I was spending. Not to get into the nitty-gritty of my findings, but there were products I was using daily or monthly that had reusable options, which in my opinion, are better products overall. By switching to reusable products I found that my monthly budget went down since I was no longer buying the same product over and over and over again.
Beyond products I’ve replaced with reusables, I’ve always loved second-hand shopping. Finding ways to save money on used clothing or household items is in many ways one of my favorite hobbies. Before I buy most products I patrol Facebook marketplace, VarageSale, and local thrift stores to see if I can find what I need there first. In many ways my efforts are to save money, in other ways, it’s also so that I can limit my impact on the environment.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Now you might be asking why I’m regaling you with my love of finding reusable and second-hand items, and how this can relate to the roofing world. The reality is that the roofing industry has been known to be, for lack of a better term, wasteful. Everywhere you look roofing companies are showing consumers what a new roof can do for their house or building. Re-roofing is a common service that is offered by roofing companies all across the world.
The problem is that re-roofing is wasteful. A square foot of roof produces an average of 5 pounds of waste.
That waste usually ends up in the landfill.
The good news for the environment is there are practical ways in which the roofing industry can follow the three r’s: reduce, reuse, recycle. Or rather, reduce/repair, restore, recycle
Reduce or Repair
An easy way that the roofing industry can work towards being environmentally friendly is by reducing the need for replacement with maintenance and repair. Similar to how brushing your teeth daily helps keep your teeth healthy, yearly maintenance, and general repair help to keep your roof healthy. By working with their customers and educating their customers on why maintenance and repair are important, roofing companies can make sure that roofs are lasting as long as possible.
I think about repair like re-sewing on buttons that fall off of clothing or putting a patch on the knees of children’s pants. Maintenance is similar to yearly dental exams or a yearly doctor checkup. Repair and maintenance are the first line of defense that the roofing industry has to make sure that everything is the way that it should be.
But sometimes repair and maintenance can’t solve the problems.
Restore
Restoring a roof is similar to upholstering a piece of furniture, or upcycling a piece of clothing. Simply put, restoration is the act of giving an old roof new life without tearing it off. Much like how with upholstering a piece of furniture uses the same structure and simply adds a new fabric covering, restoration follows a similar principle.
Unfortunately, many roofing companies either don’t restore roofs or simply don’t want to provide the service. Instead, they push for re-roofing. There are plenty of reasons why re-roofing is pushed as a more viable option, but the most common reason is money. Companies make more money through re-roofing jobs. This isn’t to look down on roofing companies, as it is no different than buying clothes. Clothing stores know that people will buy brand new clothes, but there are still those of us who forgo the price tag and shop second hand at a thrift store.
Roofing companies know that people will pay for a new roof.
The biggest problem with pushing that customers re-roof is that re-roofing produces so much waste. Now think about how many roofs you see getting worked on in the summer and you will begin to realize that a lot of roofing waste has already made it to the landfill. This is why restoration is such a great option if you are trying to limit your (and your buildings) impact on the environment.
Restoration gets rid of the need for your roof to be replaced.
Recycle
Let me bring us back to reality, and the reality is that sometimes a roof cannot be saved with repair, maintenance, or restoration. Re-roofing is sometimes inevitable. Just because a roof has to be torn off though doesn’t mean that it can’t be used elsewhere. Much like how old tires can be shredded and used around playgrounds, roofing material can be reused. If it is a shingled roof, the torn-off shingles can be recycled and reused in making asphalt roads. Metal roofs can be recycled into a fence or yard display. But, just like how many people grumble at having to find a recycling bin, many roofing companies don’t choose to recycle. Why you might ask?
Recycling takes more time and energy.
While sad, our society has been created around the need for speed and efficiency. Taking the time to recycle torn-off roofing materials takes time and energy. It’s easy to throw away roofing materials because all you have to do is rent a dumpster and pay for it to get hauled to the landfill.
So what can you do to change this?
There are a few practical steps we all can take when it comes to changing the way that roofing impacts the environment.
- Roofing companies and consumers need to think about the durability of a new roof. While it’s easy to go with the cheapest option when getting a new roof, longer-lasting roofs come with a slightly higher price tag, but they also have better performance.
- Yearly maintenance and repair work should be normalized.
- Instead of waiting for your roof to leak get it checked out now and then. For more information on the practical reasons for inspections check out my blog post from last week here.
- If you are told by one contractor that you need to replace your roof, get a second or third opinion. Better yet, look up a company near you that advertises roof restoration.
- Have an honest conversation with your roofing contractor about your feelings on roofing waste and the environment. Particularly if you are getting your roof re-roofed discuss with them the possibility of getting the material recycled.
At the end of the day, it is up to roofing companies and consumers to work together to limit the impact roofing has on the environment. Get the conversation going with your contractor, do your research, and help the environment.
About the Author:
Breianna Dahl is a recent college graduate and the Marketing Manager for Roof Medics. She has been around the roofing industry her whole life as her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all roofers. Besides writing a blog Breianna handles all of Roof Medics social media accounts, and recently became a licensed drone operator. Breianna lives in Wisconsin with her husband.
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