if you factor in fewer repairs and possibly lower insurance premiums (some companies offer discounts for impact-rated roofs), it can pencil out over time... just not always as quickly as people hope.
That’s been my experience, too. I went composite after a nasty hailstorm trashed my old asphalt roof. The upfront sticker shock hurt, but three years in, I haven’t had to patch a thing—unlike before, when I was up there every spring. Still, if you’re not planning to stick around, the payback’s pretty slow.
That lines up with what I’ve seen—composite’s upfront cost stings, but it’s been way less hassle for me, too. I’m curious, did you notice any difference in your home’s energy efficiency after switching? My attic temps dropped a bit, which was a nice surprise.
I’m curious, did you notice any difference in your home’s energy efficiency after switching? My attic temps dropped a bit, which was a nice surprise.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I didn’t see much of a change in my attic temps after going composite. Maybe it’s different in hotter climates? What actually made the biggest difference for me was adding a radiant barrier and beefing up the insulation. Composite is definitely less hassle maintenance-wise, but if energy efficiency is the main goal, I’d say focus on what’s under the shingles first. Just my two cents—sometimes the “roof type = cooler house” thing gets overstated.
That lines up with my experience, honestly. I swapped out old asphalt for composite a few years back, and while the new roof looks better and I don’t have to worry about shingle granules clogging up my gutters, I can’t say I noticed any big drop in attic temps either. Like you said, it’s what’s underneath that really counts. When I finally bit the bullet and had more insulation blown in, plus stapled up a radiant barrier, that’s when the upstairs actually felt cooler in summer.
Composite is great for low-maintenance and longevity, but if someone’s hoping for a magic bullet on energy bills just from switching shingle types, they’ll probably be disappointed. Still, it’s always nice when any upgrade brings a little surprise benefit—sounds like you lucked out with your attic temps dropping. Every house is different, I guess.
- Had the same hopes when I swapped to composite—figured my attic would turn into a walk-in fridge or something. Nope.
- Still, not having to sweep up those gritty asphalt bits every rainstorm? Worth it.
- Ended up crawling around up there with a staple gun and a face full of insulation fluff. That’s what finally made a difference.
- Composite’s been solid for me, but yeah, if you want real temp changes, gotta look under the hood (or roof, I guess).
- Every house is its own weird science experiment... mine just happens to involve less sweating now.
