When it comes time to replace the roof of your home, you want to get the most out of your investment. This means that you are making the right choice from which roofer you choose a product. Did you know that the color of the roof can also make a difference?
You want to match the roof color with the rest of the exterior surfaces of the house and choose a color that will help your house be more energy efficient.
Selection of the roofing company
When you choose a licensed, insured, and established roofing company like the Denver Roofing Company, you can count on knowledgeable advice on roofing materials and roof colors. Choose your roofing company carefully because a roof is only as good as an installation job. And cheap roof shingles don't last long, no matter how well they're installed. So before you worry about the color, you need to choose the best quality roofing you can afford and hire the right roofing company to install it.
Search online for roofing company review sites for your area. If you know people who have had roofs that have been replaced, ask them who used them and if they are happy with the job. Talk to multiple roofers and get quotes for similar materials and services. When choosing the company to use, ask for references and recent jobs to pass by. Receive a contract with materials and installation details that you will pay for. The contract should include the price and the installation plan. There should be an indication of who is cleaning the old roof and other roof debris, and guarantees should be provided.
Choosing the best roof color
Choosing the best roof color should take some thought and discussion. The roof covers many square meters of a house. Roofs cover 25% to 40% of the visible exterior of a house. The right color is important for the attractiveness of the house and the overall appearance of the house. When asphalt shingles are used, there are many colors to choose from. Some considerations include:
- It's important to match the shingle color with siding and shutters. The roof color should be so different that it is rich in contrast. It's nice when the clapboard picks up tones from the house cladding and shutters. Take a sample of the shingle paints you are considering and stick it to the house siding and cut to see what it looks like.
- Consider using shingles with mixed colors. Asphalt shingles are available in either solid colors or blends. A mix of shingles can add interest to an exterior with a simple siding. A solid color clapboard might look better with different colors of brick or stone siding.
- Try a nice balance with light and dark clapboards. Dark roofs get more attention than medium or light colors. The style of the house makes a difference. Multi-story homes need darker clapboard to even out the height of the home. But ranch houses look better with medium colors.
- The roof should complement the architectural style and surroundings of the house. Examples include the dark roofs of traditional houses, deep green shingles in a wooden house surrounded by trees, or blue shingles in a white beach house with red trim.
- Take a look at the other houses in your area and see what their roofs look like. Check to see if there are roofing rules in place with a local homeowners association. Choose roof colors that are similar in overall appearance to the houses in the neighborhood.
Choice of roof color based on the climate
It has been proven that dark colors absorb heat and light colors reflect heat. Good insulation is the best protection against unwanted heat loss or gain. However, the shingle color can change attic temperatures by up to 40 degrees.
In general, dark shingles work better in cool climates because the heat absorption helps melt the snow and ice. However, in warm climates, lighter shingles help keep AC costs lower by reflecting light and heat. So when you have cold winters and hot, sunny summers, you need to balance your color choices. You can use lighter colors like blue or red when there is bright sunshine that makes neutral colors look washed out. Experts say that good ventilation of the attic is just as important as a shingle color. If you have a lot of reveal openings, you can choose any color clapboard you want. In hot climates, lots of vents and lighter colored clapboards can save homeowners money on cooling.
CoolRoof rated shingles may be required by some local building codes
These special shingles are often highly reflective and lighter in color. Title-24 is the most commonly used code for cooling roofs. Before struggling with choosing shingle colors, find this code and narrow your choices to meet the code parameters.
Visualizer tools
Some roofing companies and clapboard manufacturers have online visualization tools that allow you to choose a house that is similar to yours from a group of images. Then you can try different colors and shingles for this picture. You can also choose a siding color that is similar to yours. You can use this tool to narrow down your choices. Then you can take samples of the few preferred options to keep in your home for final selection.
The final choice
In the end, you choose a color that suits the neighborhood parameters, the climate you live in, and that attractively matches your colors and style, as well as your personal preferences. Pick the color that you like best and that will blend in with the neighborhood, meet homeowners association rules or local building codes. And if you're struggling to decide which color to choose, go the safe route of a medium to dark neutral gray. It is always good to ask the roofer what they think as they have installed a lot of roofs and have experience with what works in your area.
It is important that experienced roofers install high quality roofs so that the roof does its job well no matter what roof color you choose. Don't skimp on roof ventilation or attic insulation. Consider shingles with mixed colors for a little more interest than single color shingles. When you have everything considered and selected a shingle color, this is the choice for you.
