Facts, Opinions, and Everything In Between: Roofing Edition

Posted on: 25 August 2021

Homeowners now have many choices for their roof color. In the past, manufacturers typically saw color as a secondary concern — the natural color of the material was your only choice. Manufacturers now dye or paint roofing materials in several different colors, which open up your choices considerably. If you're having a new roof installed, you may be wondering how to pick the best roof color for your home. To help you out, read on to learn four tips that can help you pick the right color for your new roof.

1. Blend in With Your Neighbors

If every home in your neighborhood shares the same roof color, it's usually best to match it and stick with the crowd. Standing out from your neighbors can actually reduce your home's value since your house will look out-of-place compared to the rest of the neighborhood. If your neighborhood has a variety of roof colors already, then you're allowed much more freedom to choose the color that best complements your home.

You should also keep in mind that many homeowners associations place restrictions on the roof colors that are allowable — if you're part of a homeowners association, it's important to check its conditions and restrictions in order to see if they specify a roof color that you need to use when you install a new roof. While having no room for your own personal style can be an annoyance, keeping your roof the same color as your neighbors' will prevent you from getting in trouble with your HOA.

2. Light Colors Help You Stay Cool in the Summer

One of the most important factors in choosing a roof color is how much sunlight it's able to reflect. Dark-colored roofs absorb more thermal energy from the sun, so they become significantly hotter during the daytime than light-colored roofs. Some of this heat will radiate into your home, increasing the temperature inside. If your home often becomes too hot during the summer, choosing a light color for your roof is a good idea. You'll feel more comfortable inside, and you'll also save money on your electricity bills from not running your air conditioner constantly.

3. Dark Colors Hide Stains From Leaves and Branches Better

While light-colored roofs help keep your home cooler, they also show stains more easily. If you have a lot of trees overhanging your roof, a considerable number of leaves and branches will naturally fall on it. The sap from leaves and branches can stain a light-colored roof, which means that you'll need to clean it more often in order to keep its appearance pristine. Dark-colored roofs hide stains much better, so you don't need to worry as much about periodic cleaning.

4. Your Roof Color Should Mesh Well With Your Home's Siding

Finally, your roof color should complement your home's siding. Dark-colored roofs have a major advantage here since black or dark gray roofs match well with nearly every other color. If you choose a light-colored roof, it's best to match its color to your home's trim rather than the main color of your siding. Matching the roof color to your siding color will make your new roof blend in rather than stand out.

If you're having trouble deciding, contact a roofing installation service in your area and ask for material samples. Holding the samples up to your siding and trim can help you choose the color that best fits in with the rest of your home. If you want to choose a light color for energy-efficiency reasons, keep in mind that you always have the ability to repaint the trim of your home in order to make it match the color of your new roof.

For more information, reach out to a company like Able-Warnecke Roofing Inc that provides roofing installation services.