House Roof Color Choice

[lancerplayer]

In the process of deciding the shingle color for a new roof.

I like all black or charcoal grey, but will this cause my house to feel hotter in the summer months? I'm curious if there is data that shows the results of having a dark shingled roof and the connection between higher cooling bills?

Will the increase in cooling bills be minor?

We experience all the seasons in the Cleveland, OH area, so both snow and sun will be on the roof at some point of the year.

I would like to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks

 

[Wolf359]

Well you're supposed to have a ridge vent or some other type of venting system for the roof but certain types don't allow for it. I prefer a Pewter grey myself and it's a pretty popular choice.

 

[csandste]

Went white on a rental property about a decade ago and it's worked well.

 

[69GTX]

I went from charcoal to the tan asphalt shingles on my last roof job 10 yrs ago. Can't say I see or feel any difference. The shading of trees and the operation of the roof vents probably plays a bigger role.

 

[JustN89]

A lot of homes have some sort of radiant barrier OSB such as Solarbord or TechShield which will more than offset any heat generated by dark colored shingles. Even then, more important would be to have your attic re-insulated. Either way, you should be fine with a dark color shingle.

 

[old1]

I once asked a roofer the same question, and he said yes, the dark shingles will make for more heat in the summer, but also more heat in the winter. He then asked, which bill is the highest, the cooling or the heating. That made me decide to help with the heat, not the cooling.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted by lancerplayer
In the process of deciding the shingle color for a new roof.

I like all black or charcoal grey, but will this cause my house to feel hotter in the summer months? I'm curious if there is data that shows the results of having a dark shingled roof and the connection between higher cooling bills?

Will the increase in cooling bills be minor?

We experience all the seasons in the Cleveland, OH area, so both snow and sun will be on the roof at some point of the year.

I would like to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks

We need to know the type of roof, the soffit construction and insulation and venting of the roof currently.

How old is the house? Is there a finished attic space?

For example my house built in 2002 (similar to what you call a colonial 2 story).

I added baffles in the attic to direct airflow better. The soffits which are the metal type with slats. Upgraded insulation to R-60 with attic cat blown in. Re-shingled half the roof two years ago and went from traditional square aluminum vents to ridge Vents. When I re-do the other parts of the roof I'll upgrade all vents where possible to ridge Vents. IMO those ridge Vents are far more effective at removing heat buildup.


If your ventilation and insulation are poor you'll feel more heat in the attic which will translate to hotter rooms underneath in the summer.

What type of system do you have for heat and AC? If it's forced air then seal any exposed joints in the basement if you can. It will be a combination of things that will improve the comfort of the occupants and cost savings for heating and Coolng.

 

[vavavroom]

The best choice depends on roof design. A black roof will shed heat best and combined with good insulation and ventilation would be my choice. Don't use black with poor insulation and ventilation. You will be cooked alive.

 

[spk2000]

My parents put a black roof on their house in Toledo area when I was a kid. I remember after that the summer felt much warmer in the house. Didn't notice a difference in the winter comfort level but my parents paid the bill so i don't know if it helped with that or not. It was built in 1971 and was a red brick ranch with crawlspace no basement. When he bought another house years later and needed a roof he did not go black so he may have learned he didn't like that.

 

[Kestas]

One factor to consider is the daily thermal cycling of the roofing materials. Lighter colors reduce this effect, which can extend the life of the roof.

 

[gman2304]

I had a rental house reroofed in October. I went with the pewter grey. Kinda middle of the road as far as heat absorption goes and what the roofing company recommended.

 

[4wd]

Originally Posted by JustN89
A lot of homes have some sort of radiant barrier OSB such as Solarbord or TechShield which will more than offset any heat generated by dark colored shingles. Even then, more important would be to have your attic re-insulated. Either way, you should be fine with a dark color shingle.


Have dark brown mix…but with ridge vents, radiant barrier stapled to rafters*, added soffit vents, and R30 under the 3/4" attic floor …

*terminates 6" from soffit and ridge …

 

[lancerplayer]

Thanks for the replies.

The wife likes the farmhouse look (white house with black trim and black roof). I like it too but not if my energy costs are going to be significantly higher.

2x6 exterior walls with R-21 batt and R-49 blown in the ceilings.
2x6 ceiling joist
2x6 rafters
7/16" osb sheating
Attic rafter vents
Ridge vent
Soffit vent every 4'

Black might be off the table, but a darker color is still preferred. With the options below, will there really be much of a difference since they are all darker? It's not like we are considering black and white which would be a significant difference as some have mentioned.

 

[ET16]

Dual Grey looks good.