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Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

Do black roofs make your house hotter?

Drew Shaw, Fort Worth Report
yes

Darker-material roofs will tend to absorb more heat, leading to more strain on ACs, but probably not enough for you to notice.

In Dallas-Fort Worth, where 15% of 2023 saw temperatures over 100 degrees, it’s worth considering switching to a solar-reflective roof, especially if you’re already due a roof replacement. 

But other factors have larger effects on temperature. 

Most modern roofers use a synthetic underlayment beneath shingles, which insulates better than traditional tar paper or felt. A roof with outdated material will be more heat sensitive.

Modern insulation also tends to negate the minor temperature differences between roof colors. An attic underneath lighter shingles is about 10 degrees cooler than one with a dark roof. 

While it’s more effective to invest in insulation than different colored shingles, solar-reflective shingles have shown potential to reduce energy consumption in warm climates by 10% to 20%, though they run at a higher price.

See a full discussion of this at Fort Worth Report

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