Why Are Roofing Shingles Typically Black?

Ever wondered why roofing shingles are typically black? A dark roof likely raises the temperature inside your home’s highest rooms during the warmer months, but during the winter, the opposite conditions hold true. A dark roof brings in more desired heat from the sun than a light roof. This feature makes dark roofs advantageous in colder climates with long winters and short summers.

How does your roof color affect the temperature of your home?

If you have a light roof, your home absorbs less heat through the roof during summertime. As a result, your air conditioner operates more efficiently, uses less energy, and leads to lower utility bills.

In contrast, a dark roof likely raises the temperature inside your home’s highest rooms. Your cooling system works harder to compensate for the extra heat, and your bills slowly rise.

As mentioned earlier, during the winter, the opposite conditions hold true. A dark roof brings in more desired heat from the sun than a light roof. This feature makes dark roofs advantageous in colder climates with long winters and short summers.

Do black roofs attract more heat?

Before you learn anything else about roof color, take away this fact: roof color affects your home’s internal temperature. In general, lighter-colored roofs reflect away heat rays from the sun, but dark-colored roofs absorb much of that heat and transfer it into the rooms below. So, yes, black roofs do attract more heat.

Or course, color isn’t the only aspect of your roof that affects home temperature. The roofing material also affects how reflective your roof is. For example, asphalt shingles are less reflective than metal or rubber roofing materials. This quality means even tan asphalt shingles may welcome more heat into your home than a dark brown metal roof.

What color roof should I get?

Important Elements to Consider When Choosing the Color of Your Roofing Shingles:

1. Consider your climate.The color of your shingles will help keep energy bills from skyrocketing.
2. Attempt to coordinate the color of your roof shingles with the colors of other elements of your home such as bricks, wooden siding, stone or stucco.
3. Think about what statement you want your home to make.Curb appeal adds to the value of your home.
4. Create the right illusion.Dark colors tend to make homes look smaller while lighter colors do the reverse.
5. Remember your neighbors when you get ready to put on a new roof.

As with any home improvement project, there are a wide variety of factors to consider when choosing which material, color and style of roof you will be using on your home or building.

Trust the experts – Clemens Home Solutions can carefully explain how a new roof can add performance and beauty to your home. Get a free estimate here or call us to schedule a time for us to come take a look at your next home improvement project: (765) 741-8214.