The choice between dark and light roof colours may seem like an easy one to make. However, there's more to this process than choosing a shade you like. Roof colour plays a vital role in a home's exterior appearance and energy efficiency. Thus, before choosing dark red shingles or blue metal roofing, it's important to note how the hues can affect the structure's longevity, appearance and performance. With this in mind, here are three factors to consider when choosing between dark and light roof colours.
Style of your home
There's a need to create harmony between your home's style and roof colour. If your home reflects a particular architectural style, it's essential to choose a shade that's consistent with the overall appearance. For example, red roofs are more suited to traditional and Mediterranean houses, while black, charcoal, blue, green and grey tend to match modern-style homes. Brown and cream work well with Tudor-style houses.
Therefore, beyond choosing a light or dark shade of your preferred colour, it's essential to determine its suitability for your structure's architectural style. However, this is only a concern if you are repainting the roof of an older home. For new constructions, you can get adventurous by exploring both dark and light colours. Remember to choose a shade that compliments your home's exterior.
Roofing material
An essential factor to consider when choosing roof colour is the impact of the material on the roof's energy efficiency. Some roof materials absorb heat, while others reflect it. Similarly, dark hues absorb heat while light shades reflect solar radiation. Thus, pairing a roofing material with the right hue can improve the structure's energy efficiency and reduce your home's heating and cooling needs.
For example, traditional asphalt shingles absorb heat instead of reflecting it. Thus, choosing dark shingles can aggravate the situation and result in significant energy losses during the summer. Pairing asphalt shingles with a lighter shade can improve the roof's solar reflectivity and reduce heat gain. Contrarily, you can use dark hues on reflective materials such as metal, rubber and terracotta. However, lighter shades would improve the energy-efficiency of the structure.
Energy efficiency attributes
The energy efficiency attributes of your roof play a critical role in determining the best colour for the structure. Roofs that have no energy efficiency features work best with lighter shades. Since the roofing materials and hardware are not energy-efficient, light colours can reflect solar radiation and prevent heat gain. Conversely, roofs with energy efficiency features such as roof sealant, insulation and reflective coatings and granules can get away with darker hues.
Before choosing between light and dark roof colours, consider the above factors. Talk to a roofing contractor for professional roofing services.