Getting a new roof for your home sure is exciting for any homeowner! It is also a chance to completely change the look of your home if you so desire.
The roofing industry offers a huge variety of shingle products, color variations, and upgrade options and many homeowners might feel overwhelmed. Have you been standing outside your home contemplating what shingle color variation you want to pick? How much time have you spent on Pinterest, Instagram, or Google to look at houses that look like yours? We get it! A new roof is a big investment for any homeowner and picking the right color can be a scary decision because you will live with your choice for a long time. Here are seven things to consider that might help you make a decision:
- It’s hot in Texas! The color of your roof shingles greatly affects the temperature of your attic. This can make a significant difference in the heating and cooling costs of your home. You guessed it: Light shingles are better at deflecting sunlight and help keep temperatures down in the heat of the summer. Dark shingles on the other hand absorb heat and keep your home warmer which also helps snow and ice on your roof melt faster (which admittedly is not usually an issue around here…).
- Coordinate your colors: Think about the colors of your siding or windows. What colors might go well with them? Would you like your roof to match your siding? Choosing a bold color for your roof might not always be the ideal choice. Remember: Your roof is the biggest surface of your home. As a rule of thumb, green, red, yellow, or other colors have more flexibility and can be accented by brown, gray, or black. For example, a dark gray or black roofing shingle will look great with a gray or blue house, while a brown, cream, or tan colored house might match better with brown roof shingles or a mixture of cream and brown.
- Architectural style: Not every color works with every home color and home style. It’s important to know that your color choice affects your home’s architecture. Dark colors usually make a home look smaller whereas light colors make it seem larger.
- Do you want to make a bold statement? Then pick an unusual color combination. If you want your home to blend in more with the rest of your neighbors’ houses, you might want to be more traditional in your color choice.
- Neighborhood considerations: Are there any HOA or subdivision rules that you might have to consider? It is usually a good idea if your roof does not exactly match or dramatically clash with your nearby neighbors’ roofs.
- Color availability: Don’t forget that some roof colors or roof shingle options might not be available in your area! It’s a good idea to make sure that the product you picked is actually available in your area by visiting the manufacturers’ websites, for example, www.gaf.com, www.certainteed.com or www.owenscorning.com
- What will the roof color actually look like on your home? All major roof manufacturers have online visualizer tools that will help you see what different color choices will look like on a home like yours. Our project managers at Remedy Roofing will bring shingle samples to your home for you to view the color next to your brick or siding. This always makes the decision process much easier.