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.
That’s interesting—did you happen to measure the attic temps before and after, or just going by feel? I’ve been looking at CRRC data too, but sometimes it’s tough to tell how much of a difference those reflectance numbers actually make in real-world conditions. Also curious if you noticed any change in how fast your upstairs cools down at night. I’m debating if it’s worth upgrading insulation while I’m at it, or if the shingle swap alone is enough.
Honestly, I wouldn’t count on shingle reflectance alone to solve attic heat, especially if your insulation’s not up to par. I’ve seen plenty of folks swap to “cool” shingles and still end up with roasting attics because the real culprit was thin or patchy insulation. The CRRC numbers look great on paper, but in real life, attic airflow and insulation make a bigger dent. I’d say if you’re already tearing into the roof, beefing up insulation is worth it—otherwise, you might be disappointed by how little just the shingle swap changes things.
I swapped to Malarkey a few years back, hoping for a cooler attic, but honestly didn’t notice a huge temp drop until I added more blown-in insulation. Out of curiosity, how’s your attic ventilation? Ridge vents or just soffits? That made a bigger difference for me than the shingle brand.
I’ve seen a lot of folks focus on insulation and ventilation, but honestly, shingle color and material can still play a role—especially in hotter climates. I’ve inspected attics where dark shingles with poor ventilation just cooked everything, even with decent insulation. Ridge vents help, but if the shingles are absorbing too much heat, you’re still fighting an uphill battle. Sometimes people overlook radiant barriers, too... those can make a surprising difference.
I’ve managed a few properties with Malarkey shingles, and honestly, the lighter colors do seem to help a bit with attic temps—at least compared to the old dark asphalt ones we had before. Still, I’ve noticed that even with “cool” shingles, if the attic’s not vented right or there’s no radiant barrier, it still gets pretty toasty up there. One place had both a radiant barrier and lighter Malarkey shingles, and you could actually feel the difference walking into the attic in July. Not saying it’s magic, but it definitely helped more than just swapping shingle brands alone.