I’ve put Malarkey on a few storm jobs, and honestly, the “cool” factor is there but it’s not magic. Like you said, maybe a handful of degrees cooler inside, but if your attic’s still an oven, it’s usually more about airflow and insulation than shingle color or brand. I’ve seen folks drop serious cash on premium shingles and still sweat through August because their soffit vents were clogged with old insulation. Granule wash-off freaked me out the first time too—looked like someone dumped a bag of gravel in the gutters—but it mostly stopped after the first rain. If you’re in a hail-prone area, Malarkey does seem to hold up better than some others, though.
I get where you’re coming from about attic airflow and insulation playing a bigger role than shingle brand or color, but I’ve seen some measurable benefits from “cool” shingles—especially in older buildings where upgrading insulation isn’t feasible without major work. We did a couple of retrofits on 1960s ranch houses (low pitch, minimal attic space), and switching from dark 3-tabs to Malarkey’s lightest color dropped attic temps by 8-10 degrees on peak afternoons. Not game-changing, but it did make a noticeable dent in AC runtime.
That said, I agree—if your soffits or ridge vents are blocked, or you’ve got a pile of blown-in insulation clogging things up, no shingle is going to save you from the heat. I’m also a little skeptical about the granule loss. Even if it slows down after the first rain, I’ve seen some batches lose more than I’d like over the first year. Not a dealbreaker, but worth keeping an eye on if you’re managing multiple properties.
Hail resistance is legit though. Malarkey’s rubberized asphalt seems to bounce back better than the standard stuff, at least in my experience. Still, if cooling is your main concern, I’d look at attic fans or even a radiant barrier before splurging on premium shingles alone.
switching from dark 3-tabs to Malarkey’s lightest color dropped attic temps by 8-10 degrees on peak afternoons. Not game-changing, but it did make a noticeable dent in AC runtime.
That’s a pretty solid drop, honestly. I’ve seen similar numbers on older homes where adding insulation just isn’t practical. You nailed it about airflow—if the vents are blocked or the insulation’s a mess, no shingle is going to fix the heat load. I do like Malarkey for hail too, especially in the Midwest. As for granule loss, yeah, it varies batch to batch... I usually tell folks to keep an eye out the first year, but long-term, I haven’t seen it turn into a real problem. If you’re stuck with a shallow attic, every little bit helps, and “cool” shingles can be part of the puzzle.
if the vents are blocked or the insulation’s a mess, no shingle is going to fix the heat load.
I get what you’re saying, but is it really that cut and dry? My place has so-so insulation and I still noticed a big difference just swapping from black shingles to a lighter color. Maybe I’m imagining it, but my upstairs doesn’t feel like a sauna anymore. Could be placebo... or maybe my AC just likes me more now. Anyone else have “cool” shingles make a bigger difference than expected?
I’ve wondered the same thing, honestly. I went from the darkest shingles on the block (looked great, felt like living in a toaster) to a mid-gray “cool roof” shingle—nothing super fancy, just what the roofer had in stock. My insulation is just okay, not winning any awards, and I was surprised how much less my upstairs roasted in July. Maybe it’s not all placebo after all.
I think there’s something to be said for color and reflectivity, even if your attic isn’t perfectly insulated or vented. Sure, if you’ve got zero airflow up there and insulation that looks like it was installed by raccoons, you’re still going to have problems. But lighter shingles do seem to help take the edge off. My AC runs a little less now, and I don’t feel like my socks are melting on the second floor.
That said, it’s probably not going to fix everything if the basics aren’t covered. My neighbor went all-in on “cool” shingles but never bothered with attic vents—he still complains about his upstairs being hot enough to bake cookies. So yeah, shingle color helps, but it’s kind of like putting sunglasses on when you’re sunbathing… helpful, but not a substitute for shade.
Curious about Malarkey myself. They claim their shingles reflect more heat and are eco-friendly or something? I haven’t tried them yet—my roofer quoted me a little higher than standard stuff. If anyone’s actually noticed a real-world difference with those compared to regular “light” shingles, I’d love to hear it. For now, just swapping from black to gray made enough of a difference that my wife stopped threatening to move into the basement for summer.
Long story short: lighter shingles can help even if everything else isn’t perfect, but they’re not magic either. If your attic’s already a disaster zone, might be worth looking at vents/insulation too… unless you really like sweating through your sheets at night.
