As of today, summer has officially begun, which means warmer weather and you guessed it more home improvement projects to spruce up the exterior look of your house. For all you creative types out there, one of the things that captives the most is getting to choose colors that represent your exterior. Now, to anyone, who wouldn’t be excited!
When I say exterior, today I’ll be referring to not your siding, gutter, or exterior structure of your windows, rather I’m talking to a very pivotal part that perhaps is one of the most important to your house’s foundational structure, your roof shingles!
Roof shingles are in all shapes and sizes, and most uniquely, a great array of colors to choose from. Therefore, strap up, because we are going to talk about possible roofing shingle colors out there, let’s go!
Related: What is better, a metal roof or shingles?
Does Roofing Shingle Color Matter?
When considering roofing shingle color, one of the most common mistakes is to solely focus on its aesthetic appeal; however, doing so would be failing to grasp the full ramifications of the colors at your disposal.
Believe it or not, the colors you choose can have an effect in two different ways 1) Temperature 2) Energy Efficiency.
Roofing shingle’s color has more of a large effect on the heating and cooling of your home, the darker the color, the more apt it is to absorb the sun’s heat and therefore make your home warmer. While lighter colors have the propensity to reflect the rays of the sun, making your home color. Bigger difference than we think!
Roofing Shingle Colors
Darks
These varieties include, but are not limited to charcoal, classical, rustic hues of blacks and browns, evergreen, and so forth. Dark colors have a propensity to really mesh with the color schemes of the exterior as a whole, making it for tremendous curbside appeal.
Charcoal is actually one of the most popular colors out there that is known as a universal option for any house! You can truly never go wrong with this option. However, darks do have a downside to them.
Darker colors’ propensity to absorb the heat of the sun produces negative externalities in heating and cooling of your home as mentioned and even the overall health and wellness of the shingles themselves! Prolonged heat absorption especially in warmer climates can cause shingles to crack, blister, and damage the edges, thus resulting in costly repair!
Always consider where you’re located as a proactive measure when choosing dark color roofing shingles.
Lights
Like dark varieties, you’ll find a multitude of light color options in the marketplace such as beiges and creams, light shades of black and brown among many to choose from. Lights are often used in warmer, tropical climates for its ability to deflect the rays of the sun, making a house more apt to control its level of cooling. Very nice perk!
On the other hand, light color roofing shades are a bit more of a challenge to match well with color schemes of your home’s exterior as it will easily draw attention to curbside appeal. More so a cosmetic issue, then a foundational one.
GAF Shingle Color Options
Here at Legacy Roofing of Boise Idaho, we offer Timberline HDZ architectural shingles that come in a variety of colors! You can actually visit their site here and type in your zip code to see the color options near you! GAF offers a variety of colors adding up to 16+ possible options ranging from dark to light shingles, but everything in between!
Why GAF shingles?
Per the GAF Timerline Shingle website, the pros of using GAF shingles are endless:
- Great Value: Architecturally stylish but practically priced — with a Lifetime Limited Warranty1
- Dimensional Look: Features GAF proprietary color blends and enhanced shadow effect for a genuine wood-shake look
- StainGuard® Algae Protection: Helps ensure the beauty of your roof against unsightly blue-green algae2
- WindProven™ Limited Wind Warranty: When installed with the required combination of GAF Accessories, Timberline® HDZ™ Shingles are eligible for an industry first: a wind warranty with no maximum wind speed limitation3
- LayerLock™ Technology: Proprietary technology mechanically fuses the common bond between overlapping shingle layers
- Up to 99.9% nailing accuracy: The StrikeZone™ nailing area is so easy to hit that a roofer placed 999 out of 1,000 nails correctly in our test4
- Stays In Place: Our legendary Dura Grip™ sealant pairs with the smooth microgranule surface of the StrikeZone™ nailing area for fast tack. Then, an asphalt-to asphalt monolithic bond cures for durability, strength, and exceptional wind uplift performance
- Highest Roofing Fire Rating: UL Class A, Listed to ANSI/UL 790
- Perfect Finishing Touch: For the best look, use TimberTex® Premium Ridge Cap Shingles or TimberCrest™ Premium SBS-Modified Ridge Cap Shingles
What’s best for you?
While choosing colors is something that is very exciting to do, you have to take into account what may be best for you in your given situation! You can’t just breeze over choosing the ones you like as every choice has a particular consequence that could end up draining you of time, money, and piece of mind in the long haul.
The best thing you can do it get in contact with your local roofing company to get an assessment of the context of your situation in order to get the most professional advice as to what colors you should choose. If anything, err on the side of caution and pick up the phone and call a professional!
What’s the Verdict?
While choosing colors for your roofing shingles is something that seems pretty straightforward, there’s actually a lot of planning that goes into it to ensure you have the right fit. Roofing shingle color has a profound impact on temperature and energy efficiency of your home and it’s important to take into account where you live and its climate before deciding!
Remember, curb appeal is not greater than practicality! Whether it shall be a lighter color or a darker color, do your due diligence in seeking out advice from a professional to give you the rundown on the right choice for your home. When all is said and done, pay now or pay later. What will you decide?
Be sure to read more about shingles here!
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