Southern Metal Roofing Blog

AND WHY RAIN BARRELS AND METAL ROOFS ARE A GOOD COMBINATION

Rain barrels have been used for thousands of years to naturally harvest the rain for a variety of uses. Today, with tight water restrictions and the general public increasingly concerned about our impact on the environment, rain barrels are making a comeback. Here are the simple facts about how rain barrels can help you save money and the environment at the same time.

- 1” of rain on a 1,000 square foot roof yields over 600 gallons of water

- Rain water is naturally soft water, devoid of harmful chemicals, making it perfect for use on your lawn and garden

- Up to 40% of summer water use is for irrigation — if you can reduce the amount of city water you use on your lawn, you can significantly reduce your water bill

- Rain barrels can help control the amount of polluted runoff from your home, thereby reducing the pollution in local lakes

- Rain water you collect can also be used for drinking if it is filtered through a proper filtration system

- Rain barrels are easy to install—simply place them under a downspout and you’re set!

- For more information, visit www.rainbarrelguide.com

Luxury metal roofing for residential homes is also on the rise due to their energy efficient qualities. They are a great combination with rain harvesting systems, and here’s why.

- Metal roofs are impermeable, allowing all of the rain water to run off rather than be absorbed

- Metal roofs have smooth surfaces, making them easy to rid of potential contaminants with the first rainfall before the water is stored for use

- In sunny areas, such as ours, the heat given off by metal roofing warms the rainwater, making it even easier to clear the roof of harmful materials

- In areas that are affected by severe weather, rain water can be used when city sources are knocked out or contaminated—metal roofs also hold up better in severe weather

- If the area is ever affected by fire, the stored water can be pumped through the downspouts, creating a shield of water to protect the home

- For more information, visit www.rainharvesting.com

Check out Southern Metal Roofing’s current offer for a FREE rain barrel with a qualified purchase at www.usgreen.com/rainbarrel

IN THE MIDST OF A WATER CRISIS, RAIN BARRELS ARE BOTH ECO AND WALLET-FRIENDLY

Rain barrels have been around for centuries and are one of the best ways to keep your lawn looking fresh and green when water resources are limited. The rain water that a rain barrel collects can be used to water your lawn and garden throughout the year, allowing you to depend less on the city’s limited water supply while reducing your water bill at the same time. It is estimated that for each inch of rain that falls on a one thousand square foot roof, you can collect six hundred gallons of water. If this water is used exclusively for watering your lawn, you could expect to cut your water bill by up to fifty percent.

Rain water is also naturally soft water, unlike most tap water, which is free of chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride. Chemicals that are normally found in tap water can be harmful to your plants and the soil. By using all-natural rain water, you will be doing what is best for your plants. Best of all, rain barrels are easy to install. Simply place them under a downspout and you’re set.

Southern Metal Roofing, an eco-friendly Atlanta roofing company, is currently running a limited time offer where customers receive a complimentary genuine oak rain barrel with a qualified purchase. Oak rain barrels normally run between $200 and $250, making this special, including set-up and delivery, a great deal.

MAKING THE SWITCH FROM TRADITIONAL TO STRICTLY E-MAIL MARKETING

These days the average adult receives over forty pounds of promotional mail a year, most of which goes into the trash without even being opened and without a second thought as to how it will affect the environment. Thousands of trees are cut down to produce the paper needed, millions of gallons of water are wasted, not to mention the emissions released to transport this mail all for a company to attract a few customers. Once hitting the trash can, this mail winds up in landfills, taking up more of what precious earth we have left while releasing even more greenhouse gases.

Some eco-friendly companies are changing all of this by going completely paperless with their marketing efforts, refusing to let their advertising affect the earth. Southern Metal Roofing has done so by simply limiting all of our promotional mailings to e-mail. By partnering with BusinessWise, another Atlanta company that specializes in e-mail marketing, Southern Metal Roofing can now effectively and efficiently reach our customers, all while limiting our impact on the environment. This also allows customers an easy way to opt-in or opt-out of future mailings from the company by clicking a link placed within the e-mail message. Other companies would do well to follow suit, making them more environmentally responsible and saving money at the same time.

Remember to always “think and act green.”

Southern Metal Roofing announced the addition of Courtney Bonner, a student at the Georgia Institute of Technology, to its staff as Business Development Specialist on Monday. A native of Thomasville, Georgia, Ms. Bonner has made Atlanta her home for the past four years while she attends Georgia Tech. Ms. Bonner is expected to graduate from the institute in December of this year, at which time she has the opportunity to continue her career with Southern Metal Roofing. As a management major concentrating in marketing, Courtney has the knowledge and experience to guide the company’s future efforts in the right direction.

While at Georgia Tech, Courtney has participated in a variety of organizations, from becoming a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, to the Society of Women in Business. One of the most rewarding activities for Courtney has been acting as a team leader in the campus wide effort to “Save Lids to Save Lives.” The Georgia Tech campus collected the most pink Yoplait yogurt lids, benefiting breast cancer research, of any other university in the competition for the past two years. As a woman, this cause is very near and dear to Ms. Bonner, and she hopes to continue her philanthropic endeavors after graduation.

In her spare time, Courtney enjoys being outside in nature, especially on the beach or at the lake. She believes that we should all strive to conserve the environment in which we live, making Southern Metal Roofing’s mission really hit close to home. Courtney also enjoys books, movies, cooking, and enjoying Piedmont Park. As a small town girl, she loves the thrill and adventure of a larger city such as Atlanta.

Southern Metal Roofing is a division of Cooper Affiliates, which along with U.S. Green Roof and GutterPro, is owned by Katherine Cooper of Atlanta, Georgia. Southern Metal Roofing and Cooper Affiliates’ other divisions provide sustainable and eco-friendly residential and commercial roofing and rain water management systems. Their vision is simple… “think and act green.”