I actually went with those “cool” shingles on my garage a couple years back—light gray, supposedly reflect more sun. Honestly? The attic’s still hotter than I’d like in August, but it doesn’t feel quite as oven-like as the house with dark shingles. Not a miracle fix, but maybe helps a bit. Wouldn’t pay a big premium for them though.
The attic’s still hotter than I’d like in August, but it doesn’t feel quite as oven-like as the house with dark shingles.
Yeah, same here—tried the so-called “cool” shingles when I re-roofed last year. Maybe a few degrees difference, but nothing dramatic. I’m in the Midwest and our summers get brutal. I was debating metal, but the price tag scared me off. Has anyone noticed if metal roofs actually keep things cooler inside, or is it just about durability? I’ve heard mixed things about the noise in heavy rain too... kind of curious if that’s overblown or legit annoying.
I’ve wondered the same about metal roofs actually making a difference with indoor temps. I know they’re supposed to reflect more sunlight, but I’ve read that the attic insulation and ventilation matter just as much—maybe more? The noise thing seems to depend on what’s underneath the metal… like, do you have solid decking or just open rafters? Curious if anyone’s tried adding a radiant barrier under a metal roof and noticed any real-world change in summer heat.
I’ve been down this rabbit hole too. Metal roofs definitely reflect more sunlight, but honestly, I noticed the attic insulation made a bigger difference in my place than the roof material itself. We have solid decking under our metal panels, and the rain noise isn’t bad at all—nothing like what I expected. Tried a radiant barrier last summer (just stapled foil-faced stuff to the rafters) and it did help a bit with the upstairs temps, but not as much as beefing up the blown-in insulation. Ventilation’s huge too... without good airflow, even the fanciest roof won’t keep things cool.
- Definitely agree—attic insulation and ventilation are way bigger factors for temp control than most folks realize.
- Metal roofs do reflect more heat, but if your attic’s not sealed up tight, you’ll still get hot spots.
- Solid decking under metal panels helps a ton with rain noise—people always expect it to sound like a drum, but with the right setup, it’s barely noticeable.
- Radiant barriers can help, but in my experience, they’re more of a “nice-to-have” than a game changer unless you’ve already maxed out insulation and airflow.
- After big storms, I’ve seen both shingle and metal roofs take hits—metal usually fares better against hail and wind, but installation quality matters more than material sometimes.
- One thing I’d add: check your soffit and ridge vents after heavy rain or storms. Blockages there can sneak up on you and make everything else less effective.
