Malarkey’s a solid shingle, but honestly, I’ve seen just as much attic heat with premium brands if the venting isn’t right. If you’re worried about cooking the attic, I’d double-check your baffles and make sure nothing’s blocking airflow from soffit to ridge. Even a top-tier shingle can’t fix poor ventilation. Had a job last summer—client went with a basic shingle but we spent extra time on insulation and vents, and their upstairs stayed way cooler than before. Shingle color helps a bit, but it’s not the main thing.
I went with a lighter shingle once thinking it’d make a big difference, but honestly, the attic still felt like a sauna until I fixed the vents. Malarkey’s good stuff, but if your airflow’s blocked, you’ll just have fancy shingles over a hot mess.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen lighter shingles make a noticeable difference, especially in places that get hammered by the sun all summer. Sure, ventilation is huge—no argument there—but the shingle color isn’t just for looks. I’ve torn off plenty of dark roofs where the plywood underneath was cooked, even with decent airflow. Malarkey’s solid, but if you’re in a hot zone, I’d still lean toward a lighter shade. Just my two cents...
Interesting point about the lighter shingles—I've definitely noticed a difference in attic temps depending on color, especially during peak summer. But I keep wondering how much of that is shingle color versus the actual build-up of insulation and radiant barriers. On a couple of my properties, we went with a mid-tone shingle (not super light, not charcoal either) and beefed up the attic insulation. The plywood still looked decent after a few years, but I can't say for sure if it was the color or just better insulation doing most of the work.
Has anyone tracked attic temps before and after switching shingle colors? Or maybe compared Malarkey's lighter shades to something like Owens Corning or GAF in similar climates? I'm curious if there's a measurable difference over time, or if it's more about the whole system working together. Sometimes I feel like we focus so much on one element—like shingle color—when it's really a combo of things keeping attics from turning into ovens...
I’ve actually tracked attic temps a bit, but honestly, it’s tough to get a true apples-to-apples comparison unless you’re swapping only the shingle color and leaving everything else untouched. Most folks I know (myself included) end up adding insulation or tweaking ventilation at the same time, so it muddies the waters. That said, lighter shingles do seem to help a little—maybe a few degrees difference on the hottest days—but nothing dramatic if your attic’s already well-insulated and vented.
Malarkey’s lighter colors are decent, but I wouldn’t expect miracles just from switching brands or shades. The radiant barrier and insulation combo probably does more heavy lifting than shingle color alone. One house I inspected last summer had dark GAFs but killer attic ventilation and spray foam—attic was way cooler than another place with light shingles but poor airflow.
If your plywood’s holding up and temps aren’t crazy high, you’re probably in good shape. It really is about the whole system working together rather than one magic bullet.
