When reroofing your home, it’s important to choose roofing material that’s high quality and durable, but it’s also important to select the right color for your home. Just like brick and siding colors, the color of your roof can have a huge impact on your home’s appearance. And barring any unforeseen damage, a shingled roof will last between 15 and 20 years—maybe more, if it’s well-maintained. It’s one of, if not the most enduring change you make to your home, so you want to make an informed decision.
Shingle colors can range from black to white, with most homeowners choosing something in the gray family, but there are also a variety of choices in blues, greens, browns and reds. Each color family offers choices that are subdued and others that are more vibrant and high contrast with lots of color variation.
To help choose, there are quizzes you can take to get a roof color suggestion based on your personality, and visualization tools that will help you imagine what your home will look like with a variety of shingle colors, but there are important concerns to address beyond simply picking a color you like.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing your new roof color.
Complementary Colors
When choosing a color for your new roof, you’ll want to pick a color that complements your home’s exterior color and style. Avoid selecting shingles in the same color and tone as your home’s existing paint and siding; this can make your home look monochromatic and washed-out.
An easy way to complement your home’s current look is to choose a shingle color design with lots of color variation, such as these Duration Designer shingles. These shingle varieties contain a number of complementary colors, so it’s easy to match one of the variable color designs to your home’s existing colors.
On the other hand, if your home’s current style and color palette is eclectic, you may want to tone it down with a simple, subtle shingle color choice.
If your home’s façade is more permanent (brick or stone, for example) or you don’t plan to change your home’s color any time soon, you have a bit more freedom when selecting a complementary roof color. However, if you’d like to have the option to change your home’s paint color at some point, make sure that your shingle color choice will complement not only your home’s current color, but possible future colors. Consider the paint color guidelines set by your homeowner’s association, if you have one, and how your shingle choice would look with those colors.
Homeowners Association Regulations
If you are part of a homeowners association, you’ll want to make sure you review the association’s guidelines and restrictions—if any—for shingle color choices, and find out if you are required to have your choices approved by the association before construction begins on your new roof.
Heat Exposure
One important consideration to make in terms of shingle color, especially in Florida, is how hot your roof will get. A study done by the U. S. Department of Agriculture found that dark shingled roof colors are on average 10 to 15 degrees warmer than light shingled roof colors when exposed to the same weather conditions. This is because the color black absorbs light energy, which is converted into heat, and white reflects light, therefore absorbing less heat.
This is important to consider for a few reasons. First, a darker shingle that retains more heat will also make your attic or home warmer. More importantly, excess heat exposure can cause your shingles to age prematurely. The USDA’s study found that dark shingles not only reached higher temperatures than light shingles, but also retained temperatures of in excess of 120 degrees nearly five times longer than light shingles. This additional exposure to heat can cause your shingles to crack and wear down more rapidly.
Resale Value
If you will be reselling your home in the next 20 years, before a roof replacement is warranted, you’ll want to keep your home’s resale value in mind when selecting your shingle color. If you decide to go with a bold color or vibrant and high-contrast shingle color pattern, keep in mind that prospective buyers may not have such bold tastes.
You have a lot of options when choosing a shingle color, but these important considerations should help you narrow down your possible selections. For more information on all roof material options, email us at office@tadlockroofing.com or call us toll-free today at 855-964-7663.
