Yeah, lighter shingles do seem to help a bit, but honestly, I’ve seen more difference from just making sure the attic’s got proper airflow. Had one place with “cool” shingles and barely any vents—still felt like an oven up there. If you can swing both, that’s where you really notice it. The numbers on the brochures always look great, but real life is messier.
The numbers on the brochures always look great, but real life is messier.
Ain’t that the truth. I got sucked in by all the “energy star” hype last time—figured my attic would feel like a walk-in fridge. Nope, still sweating buckets up there in July. Ended up crawling around with a saw and adding more vents myself. Anyone ever try those solar-powered attic fans? I keep seeing ads but can’t tell if they’re just another gadget or actually help.
I hear you on the brochures—those glossy photos with the smiling families and the “cool roof” stats always look great, but once the sun’s beating down, it’s a whole different story. I’ve been through the same song and dance with “energy efficient” shingles. Put on a lighter color, paid extra for the supposed heat-reflecting granules, and still felt like I was roasting chestnuts up there by mid-July. Ended up with a box fan pointed at the attic hatch just to get some air moving.
About those solar attic fans—tried one a couple years ago, mostly out of curiosity. It did help a bit, but honestly, it wasn’t a miracle fix. On a blazing hot day, the fan would spin, but the attic still felt like a sauna. Maybe it kept the temp down by a few degrees, but not enough to notice on my electric bill. The real game changer for me was adding more soffit and ridge vents. That plus some radiant barrier stapled to the rafters made a bigger dent than any gadget.
I’ve heard mixed things about Malarkey shingles. Some folks swear by them for durability and hail resistance, but I’m not convinced they’re much cooler than other brands. The color and ventilation seem to matter more than the brand, at least in my experience. I’m in central Texas, so heat’s always top of mind. Anyone in a cooler climate might have a totally different take.
Curious if anyone’s actually measured attic temps before and after switching shingles? I’ve always just gone by feel—if I can stand up there without sweating through my shirt in five minutes, I call it progress. Maybe I should get one of those cheap temp sensors and see what’s really going on.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually seen a bit more impact from shingle choice than you’re giving credit for—at least when it comes to storm damage. I’m up in Oklahoma, and after a couple of hailstorms, the Malarkey shingles on my neighbor’s place held up way better than my old GAFs. As for attic temps, I did stick a temp sensor up there after swapping to a lighter shingle and noticed about a 5-degree drop on peak days. Not huge, but it did help with the upstairs AC load. Ventilation still matters more, but I wouldn’t write off shingle brand entirely, especially if you’re in a hail-prone area.
That’s interesting about the Malarkeys holding up better in hail. I’ve seen similar results in some of my inspections—some brands just seem to take a beating better. I agree, ventilation is still king for attic temps, but I’ve noticed that lighter shingles can shave off a few degrees, which adds up over a summer. I wouldn’t expect miracles, but if you’re dealing with hail every year, it’s worth factoring shingle durability into your decision. Sometimes it really does come down to how much you want to gamble on the next big storm...
