- I’d double-check those soffit vents before dropping cash on new shingles.
- We had a similar issue—attic was roasting, bills were high. Cleared out the vents and added a ridge vent.
- Energy bills dropped a bit, but the biggest difference was how much less the AC ran.
- Honestly, if your airflow’s bad, “cool” shingles won’t help much. Air’s gotta move or the heat just sits there.
- Shingles are pricey—ventilation fixes were way cheaper for us.
I get the whole “ventilation first” argument, but I wouldn’t write off shingle choice so fast. We’re in central Texas, and after years of fighting a hot attic (yeah, vents were clear, ridge vent was in), we finally swapped to Malarkey’s “cool” shingles last summer. Not saying it was night and day, but the attic temp dropped a good 10-12 degrees on the hottest afternoons. That’s not nothing.
Sure, airflow matters—if your vents are blocked, you’re just baking everything up there. But if you’ve already handled that and your roof still feels like a frying pan, the shingle color and material can make a dent. Our old dark shingles just soaked up the sun. The new ones reflect more heat, and I swear the AC doesn’t kick on as much now.
Yeah, it’s pricier than just fixing vents, but if you’re due for a new roof anyway, might as well get something that helps with the heat. Just my two cents from sweating through too many summers...
I hear you on the attic heat—Texas summers are brutal. I’m a bit skeptical about paying extra for “cool” shingles, but your temp drop is hard to ignore. Here’s how I looked at it: First, checked all the vents and made sure insulation wasn’t blocking anything. Next, I went with a lighter shingle color (not Malarkey, just a basic brand) and noticed maybe a 5-degree difference. Not huge, but it helped. If your roof’s due anyway, I get the logic of spending a bit more for the heat benefit, but if you’re on a tight budget, lighter color plus maxed-out ventilation got me most of the way there. Just depends how much you want to spend versus how much relief you need...
If your roof’s due anyway, I get the logic of spending a bit more for the heat benefit, but if you’re on a tight budget, lighter color plus maxed-out ventilation got me most of the way there.
I’m with you—my attic felt like a sauna last July. I went with the cheapest light gray shingles and just cranked up the attic fan. Not fancy, but my electric bill didn’t make me cry this year. Malarkey sounds cool (pun intended), but my wallet said “nah.”
Light gray shingles are a solid move, especially if you’re not looking to drop a ton of cash. I’ve seen plenty of folks go that route and just focus on getting the airflow right—attic fans, ridge vents, whatever works. Malarkey’s got some nice features, but honestly, if your ventilation’s dialed in and you stick with a lighter color, you’re already ahead of the game. Sometimes simple really does the trick.
