One of the most common questions when selecting a pergola roofing system is: Will polycarbonate roofing make it too hot in summer? This concern arises because polycarbonate roofing is clear, allowing plenty of light in.
The challenge many face is how to balance light and heat in their pergola or outdoor living area.
Before we dive into the details, it's important to understand where heat comes from. Sunlight contains three major components: UV rays, infrared (IR) rays, and visible light. Infrared rays are the primary source of heat from the sun, so to reduce heat, we need to block the IR. However, some materials block visible light when blocking IR rays, which can affect brightness.
In this article, we will conduct tests and share data to help you choose your polycarbonate pergola roofing wisely. We will evaluate three Excelite pergola roofing materials and compare their ability to manage visible light, infrared rays, and UV radiation.
Clear polycarbonate sheets allow the most visible light and IR rays, although the data may vary depending on the thickness and product design. Since all Excelite Polycarbonate sheets are UV-rated, they block 99-100% of UV rays.
We will test various clear pergola roofing sheets, Clear polycarbonate sheets, polycarbonate solid locking systems (Same as clear polycarbonate sheet), and twin-wall polycarbonate sheets. Despite their different designs, they offer very similar heat management properties.
Clear polycarbonate sheet:
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) 89%
Infrared Rays Resistance (IRR) 8.6% (Heat blocking)
UV Ray Resistance(UVR) 100%
Clear Twin wall polycarbonate sheet:
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) 79% (Which is 10% less than clear solid sheet)
Infrared Rays Resistance (IRR) 24% (Which is 16% high than clear solid sheet)
UV Ray Resistance(UVR) 99%
2, Tinted Polycarbonate sheets
Tinted Grey pergola roof sheets offers the look of glass, allowing you to still enjoy views of the sky while providing some shade. It blocks 50% of the sun's infrared rays (heat) and allows around 20% of natural light to pass through. This makes it a great balance of light and heat for outdoor living spaces like pergolas, patios, and verandas.
In this test, we will be using a 4mm Grey Tint Polycarbonate Solid Sheet and a Grey Tint Twin-Wall Polycarbonate Sheet.
Tinted Grey polycarbonate sheet Test Result:
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) 20%
Infrared Rays Resistance (IRR) 52% (Heat blocking)
UV Ray Resistance(UVR) 100%
3, Gallina Translucent Mulitwall Roof System Arcoplus 684 or Arcoplus 920
If you're not satisfied with the solar protection offered by Grey tint polycarbonate roofing, and you're looking for a pergola roof system that allows plenty of light while reducing heat as much as possible, the Gallina multiwall roof system is the ideal choice for you.
We use Heat Reduction Polycarbonate with a "Clear but Cool" transparent IR protection layer, providing exceptional heat reduction—lowering temperatures by up to 15°C
Gallina 8mm Multiwall polycarbonate sheet Test Result:
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) 20%
Infrared Rays Resistance (IRR) 83% (Heat blocking)
Same light transmission with tinted Grey polycarbonate sheet, but Gallina Arcoplus 684 blocks 30% more heat than tinted Grey sheet.
UV Ray Resistance(UVR) 100%
Choosing the right pergola roofing material allows you to stay cool under a polycarbonate roof.
