- Had Malarkey Legacy put on last year—honestly, didn’t notice much temp change in the attic.
- What really helped was blowing in more cellulose up there and adding a ridge vent.
- The “smog granules” sound cool, but I’m skeptical about any real-world impact too.
- If you’re worried about heat, focus on insulation and airflow first... shingles are kinda secondary, at least in my experience.
I had the same thought process—was all set to splurge on “cool” shingles, but after adding more attic insulation, temps dropped way more than I expected. The marketing around shingle tech is tempting, but airflow and insulation just seem to make a bigger difference. I’d say you’re on the right track.
I’m with you—after years fiddling with attic fans and different vents, nothing made as big a dent in attic temps as beefing up the insulation and making sure soffit/ridge vents weren’t blocked. Shingle color still matters a bit, but honestly, it’s secondary unless you’re in a super-sunny spot or have a really low roof pitch. If your attic’s got good airflow and solid R-value, you’ll feel the difference way more than from any “cool” shingle claims.
Interesting take, but I’ve actually seen shingle color make a noticeable difference on some of my properties—especially the ones with shallow attic spaces or where the sun just beats down all day. Even with solid insulation and airflow, those darker shingles seem to push attic temps up a few extra degrees in July. Maybe it’s less of a factor if you’ve got a steep roof or big shade trees, but I wouldn’t write it off entirely. Has anyone tracked their attic temps before and after swapping shingle colors? I’m curious how much it varies in different regions.
I’ve tracked attic temps with a basic sensor and saw about a 5-degree drop after switching from charcoal to a lighter gray shingle. This was in central Texas, low-pitch roof, not much shade. Insulation helped, but color still mattered more than I expected.
