Q & A - Dark Shingles vs. Light Shingles

Are darker color roof shingles really that much hotter?

Yes they are, it is just like a human, if you wear a dark shirt in the summer you will absorb more heat than if you wore a white shirt. The white or lighter colors are naturally reflective and will keep you cooler. The roof will absorb heat no matter what color and transfer that heat downward into the house. The main difference is the darker colors will do it sooner in the morning and continue later in the afternoon than a lighter color roof shingle.

With all the shingle designs out there, many are very dark in color blends. Manufacturers make these darker shingles because the sell. The consumer recently has demanded an attractive and energy efficient roof shingle that is not white. Most manufacturers have, by using advanced technology, incorporated highly reflective shingles that are cooler than normal shingles

These are called Cool Roof Shingles. They meet both solar reflectance and thermal emissivity requirements by ENERGY STAR®. What that means is you can buy a good -looking shingle that is now not going to heat up as much as in the past. It reflects the UV sun ray back up and away from the attic and living space which reduces use of energy.

Architects have always included a nice attractive colored roof in their designs specification because people like them. It is still advised to use attic ventilation no matter what shingle colors you use

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