In this day and age, many people live in areas that do not have much greenery in their surroundings. This can be rather depressing and unnatural for human beings to live in. If you have the opportunity, you can always create your own green roof. Even if you live in an area surrounded by nature, having a green roof can still be beneficial to you and the environment.
A green roof, also called a living roof, is a roof that is capped with natural plants and grasses. Underneath that is a base for these plants to grow, such as fertile soil. To protect your actual roof, you will place a waterproof material to separate the vegetation and the roof. In a few simple steps, you too can create your own green roof and reap all of the benefits it has to provide.
1) Soaks up rain water
Due to the fact that a green roof is living and made of plants and grasses, it will naturally absorb the rain water. This will significantly reduce the amount of wasted water. It also decreases the chance for a flood to occur from heavy rains filling up your gutters faster than the water can escape. Just think of how well your plants will grow on your roof.
2) Prolongs the life of the roof
As the man-made roof is always in the sun, it can severely damage the shingles in a short amount of time. In contrast, if you have a living roof on top of your regular roof, you will save it from getting damaged so quickly. The sunlight will aid in the growth of the plants and be absorbed in the vegetation. It will not generally reach the actual roof, keeping it in good condition for a lot longer period of time.
3) Soaks up the sun
While the green roof is busy acquiring all of the sun's rays, the inside of your home won't be bombarded with all of the heat the sun would normally be casting onto your house by way of the roof. Your home will be much cooler as a result. Therefore, you won't have to use your air conditioner as much or on a higher setting than you normally would. It will save you money to have a green roof.
4) Controls noise levels
The living roof acts as a natural noise barrier. You won't hear the roaring jets as loud as you would without a green roof. This kind of roofing system also allows for the indoor sound levels to not be echoed outside at such a high level. You can remain some sense of privacy in certain situations, such as having a loud party or a screaming baby.
5) Beneficial to atmosphere
The air quality around your home will greatly improve by having a living, green roof. With the extra plant life growing on your roof, you will be contributing to the cleanliness of the air we breathe. It will clean the toxins out of the air, making it healthier for you and your family.
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