My roof’s due for a redo (asphalt, 25 years old, starting to look like a patchwork quilt after last summer’s hail). I’m in central Texas, so the sun is no joke—my attic gets so hot in July you could probably bake cookies up there. I’ve been looking at these “cool roof” shingles that are supposed to reflect more sunlight, and Malarkey keeps popping up in searches. They have a few options with higher reflectivity ratings, but honestly, the choices are kind of overwhelming.
Has anyone here actually installed Malarkey’s cool roof shingles? Did you notice any real difference in attic temps or AC bills? I’m also wondering about color—do you have to go with the super light shades to get the energy savings, or do the darker ones work too? My HOA is picky about colors, so I can’t just slap on bright white.
Also, how’s the durability? I’ve heard mixed things about granule loss and algae stains on some brands. I’d rather not be up there cleaning or patching every year. And if you’ve had them through a hailstorm or crazy wind, did they hold up?
Would love to hear what you picked and why, or if you’d go with something else entirely. I’m trying to balance cost, looks, and not turning my house into an oven. Any regrets or things you wish you’d known before picking your shingles?
We’ve got a few properties in the Austin area, and I’ve had Malarkey Highlander NEX “cool roof” shingles on one of them for about three years now. The attic temp difference was noticeable—maybe 10-15 degrees cooler on the worst days compared to the old dark 3-tabs. AC didn’t run quite as hard, but I wouldn’t say it slashed the bill in half or anything. Still, every bit helps when it’s 105 outside.
Color-wise, you don’t have to go full-on white to get some reflectivity benefit. We went with a medium gray (HOA drama, you know how it is), and it still qualified for the “cool roof” rating. The lighter the better, but even the darker “cool” options are better than standard black.
Durability’s been solid so far—no granule loss or algae issues yet, and they survived a couple of nasty hailstorms last spring without any repairs needed. I will say, installation quality matters a ton. One property with a rushed install had edge shingles lift in high winds, so pick your roofer carefully.
If I had to do it again, I’d probably stick with Malarkey or look at CertainTeed’s Solaris line. Both seem to balance looks and performance pretty well for our climate.
“I will say, installation quality matters a ton. One property with a rushed install had edge shingles lift in high winds, so pick your roofer carefully.”
That part really rings true for me. We had a “budget” crew do our last roof (not Malarkey, but similar cool-rated shingles) and the corners started peeling up after the first big windstorm. Ended up paying more to have it fixed than if I’d just gone with the reputable installer in the first place. Lesson learned.
I’m curious—did you notice any difference in attic humidity after switching to the cool roof shingles? Our old dark roof used to make the attic feel like a sauna, and I swear it even made the upstairs feel muggy. After we swapped to lighter shingles, it wasn’t just cooler, but the air felt less heavy somehow. Maybe it’s just better ventilation, but I always wondered if the shingle color played a part.
Also, how’s the noise during hail? Ours got pretty loud with the new shingles, but maybe that’s just the pitch of our roof.
“Our old dark roof used to make the attic feel like a sauna, and I swear it even made the upstairs feel muggy. After we swapped to lighter shingles, it wasn’t just cooler, but the air felt less heavy somehow.”
That’s funny, I had almost the same experience after switching from dark asphalt to a lighter “cool” shingle (not Malarkey, but similar). The attic temp dropped a good 10 degrees on sunny days, and I noticed the upstairs AC didn’t have to work as hard. I do think color makes a difference—maybe not as much as adding vents or fans, but it’s definitely noticeable. Humidity-wise, ours felt less swampy too. Could be better airflow or just less heat radiating down.
On hail noise—yeah, that’s a thing. My new roof is noticeably louder in heavy rain and hail than the old one was. I chalked it up to the steeper pitch and maybe thinner decking? Not sure if shingle type plays into it much unless you go with something like metal, which is a whole other level of noise. Anyone else get used to the “roof drum” after a while? It still startles me sometimes...
I get what you’re saying about lighter shingles making a difference, but I’m not totally convinced it’s always as dramatic as folks hope. We swapped out our old dark three-tabs for a mid-tone architectural shingle (not Malarkey, but similar “cool” rating), and honestly, the attic temp only dropped a few degrees. Maybe it’s our insulation or the fact that we’ve got a ton of trees shading the roof, but I didn’t see the big drop some people mention. The AC still runs pretty hard in July and August. I’m starting to think attic ventilation and insulation matter more than shingle color, at least in my case.
On the noise thing—yeah, the “roof drum” is real. Our new roof is definitely louder in storms, but I always figured it was because we went with a heavier shingle and had to replace some of the old decking with thinner plywood. I’ve heard some folks say Malarkey is quieter because it’s thicker, but I haven’t tried it myself. Metal roofs are a whole different animal—my cousin has one and says hail sounds like someone’s throwing rocks at the house.
One thing I wish we’d done differently is pay more attention to attic airflow. We added a ridge vent after the fact, and that seemed to help more than the shingle swap did. If you’re worried about cooking your attic, maybe focus on vents and insulation first? Shingle color helps, but it’s not magic.
Curious if anyone else has had a similar “meh” result from just changing shingle color. Maybe it’s just my house or our weird microclimate...
