Trying to pick a shingle that won’t cook my attic—Malarkey worth it?

secho99 · 2025-09-04T01:58:19Z

My roof’s due for a redo (asphalt, 25 years old, starting to look like a patchwork quilt after last summer’s hail). I’m in central Texas, so the sun is no joke—my attic gets so hot in July you could probably bake cookies up there. I’ve been looking at these “cool roof” shingles that are supposed to reflect more sunlight, and Malarkey keeps popping up in searches. They have a few options with higher reflectivity ratings, but honestly, the choices are kind of overwhelming. Has anyone here actually installed Malarkey’s cool roof shingles? Did you notice any real difference in attic temps or AC bills? I’m also wondering about color—do you have to go with the super light shades to get the energy savings, or do the darker ones work too? My HOA is picky about colors, so I can’t just slap on bright white. Also, how’s the durability? I’ve heard mixed things about granule loss and algae stains on some brands. I’d rather not be up there cleaning or patching every year. And if you’ve had them through a hailstorm or crazy wind, did they hold up? Would love to hear what you picked and why, or if you’d go with something else entirely. I’m trying to balance cost, looks, and not turning my house into an oven. Any regrets or things you wish you’d known before picking your shingles?

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IKO & Malarkey Shingles Discussion

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pumpkin_rider

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Venting’s a bigger deal than most folks realize. Ridge vents, soffit vents, even powered fans—if those aren’t dialed in, the shingle color only goes so far.

This is spot on. I went with a lighter shingle (not Malarkey, just a basic architectural) thinking it’d be a night-and-day difference, but my attic was still roasting until I got the ridge vent situation sorted out. Honestly, insulation made the biggest difference for me—added a few bags of blown-in and suddenly the upstairs wasn’t a sauna. Lighter shingles look nice, but if your venting or insulation is off, you’re just rearranging deck chairs. And yeah, the dirt shows up fast on the pale colors, especially after a wet spring.

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Trying to pick a shingle that won’t cook my attic—Malarkey worth it?

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