I’ve been wondering the same thing about how much shingle color really changes attic temps, especially when you factor in insulation and vents. My attic is barely insulated (previous owners didn’t bother), so maybe that’s why it gets so brutal. I’m leaning toward Malarkey too, but the HOA color thing is a pain—ours only allows “weathered wood” or “charcoal.” Not sure if the difference between those is enough to matter. Anyone else have a picky HOA and still notice a difference? I’m not sold on spending extra if it’s just a couple degrees cooler.
Our HOA’s the same way—only a couple “approved” shades, and they’re both dark. I went with Malarkey last year (charcoal) and honestly, the color didn’t make a huge difference, but adding a layer of blown-in insulation after the fact did. If you’re stuck with those colors, I’d focus more on beefing up your attic insulation or improving ventilation. The shingle color alone probably won’t solve the heat issue, at least not in my experience.
- Ran into the same headache with our HOA—only two options, both dark. Not much wiggle room there.
- Last summer, we had a few units reroofed with Malarkey (charcoal as well). I was hoping for a noticeable drop in attic temps, but honestly, didn’t see a huge change just from the shingle swap.
- What really made a difference:
- Added R-38 blown-in insulation in the attics.
- Upgraded to ridge vents and made sure soffits weren’t blocked.
- One owner put in a solar-powered attic fan—said it helped on the hottest days, but not a miracle worker.
- Shingle color seems to matter less than I expected, at least with these darker shades. Maybe if you could go super light, but that’s not usually HOA-friendly.
- If you’re stuck with dark colors, I’d lean hard into insulation and ventilation upgrades.
- One thing I noticed: after the insulation, ACs weren’t running as long, and upstairs rooms felt less stuffy. Not night-and-day, but enough to notice on the bills.
- Malarkey itself seems solid—no granule loss or leaks so far, and the warranty’s decent. But yeah, don’t expect it to solve heat issues by itself.
- If you haven’t checked your attic for gaps or old insulation, that’s worth a look. Sometimes it’s just patchy coverage making things worse than they need to be.
- Wouldn’t say shingle color is a total non-factor, but it’s not the main thing keeping the attic cool in my experience.
- Curious if anyone’s tried those “cool roof” coatings under HOA restrictions? Haven’t seen anyone pull that off here yet...
I’d push back a bit on shingle color not mattering much, even with dark options. There’s actually a measurable difference in solar reflectance between brands and lines—even among “charcoal” shades. Some Malarkey lines have higher reflectivity ratings than others, which can shave off a few degrees in attic temps. It’s not dramatic, but in my experience, every little bit helps, especially during heat waves. If you’re stuck with dark colors, it’s still worth checking the CRRC (Cool Roof Rating Council) data for whatever’s HOA-approved—you might find one option is slightly less heat-absorbing than the other. Not a game-changer, but sometimes those small differences add up over time.
Trying to pick a shingle that won’t cook my attic—Malarkey worth it?
I totally get the concern about attic temps. When we bought our place last year, the roof was overdue for replacement and honestly, I didn’t even realize how much shingle color could matter until I started sweating up there in August. We’re in central Texas, so the heat is no joke. Our HOA only allowed “dark neutral” colors, so I figured it was all the same. But after poking around forums (and bugging a few neighbors), I noticed some folks’ attics were noticeably cooler than mine, even with similar setups.
We ended up going with Malarkey Highlander in “Midnight Black” because it was one of the few options approved by our HOA and had a slightly higher reflectance number on the CRRC site compared to other brands’ dark shingles. It’s not like my attic turned into a walk-in fridge or anything, but I swear it’s a few degrees cooler now on those 100+ degree days. Not sure if it’s just the new shingles or maybe better ventilation from the reroof job, but every bit helps when you’re trying to keep upstairs bedrooms livable.
I know some folks say the difference is barely noticeable, but honestly, after living through one summer with the old roof and one with the new, I’ll take any edge I can get—even if it’s just psychological. Plus, my electric bill dropped a smidge. Could be coincidence...or maybe not?
If you’re stuck picking between dark colors anyway, might as well go for whatever has that tiny boost in reflectivity. It won’t solve everything (attic fans and insulation are still huge), but like you said—those little differences do add up over time.
