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

You’re right about the lighter shingles showing every bit of debris, but from a technical standpoint, they really do help with attic temps. I’ve seen energy bills drop a bit in some cases, but honestly, insulation quality makes a bigger difference. On older buildings with questionable insulation, “cool” shingles help, but you’ll get more bang for your buck if you can address the insulation too. Still, it’s a step in the right direction - especially if you’re dealing with those brutal summer months.

I keep hearing about Malarkey and their “cool” shingles, but I’m honestly not convinced they make a huge difference unless the rest of your roof and attic setup is dialed in. Lighter colors definitely reflect more sun, which helps a bit, but if you’ve got old insulation - or worse, gaps and air leaks - those shingles aren’t gonna save you from roasting in July. I’ve seen a few jobs where people went for expensive “cool” shingles, but then you open up the attic and it’s basically an oven because the insulation is a joke.

I get the appeal, especially if your HOA is picky about color or you just can’t stand the look of dark roofs. But in my experience, money spent on beefing up insulation or sealing up attic bypasses goes further. Had a neighbor swap to light gray shingles last summer (not Malarkey, but similar idea), and yeah, his attic temp dropped a few degrees, but he said the real change came after he blew in more cellulose up there.

One thing I’ll say for Malarkey - they do seem to handle hail and wind better than some of the bargain brands. The granules hold up, and they don’t curl as fast in the sun. If you’re in a spot with wild weather swings, that might matter more than the color anyway. Just be ready for every leaf and bit of dirt to show up on those lighter shingles. Kind of a pain if you care about curb appeal.

If you’re set on swapping shingles, I’d at least get someone to pop their head in your attic and check the insulation first. Otherwise, you might spend a lot for not much return. Just my two cents after seeing a bunch of folks go down this road.

- Totally agree, insulation and air sealing make a way bigger impact than shingle color alone.
- I did Malarkey Highlanders last year (Midwest, lots of hail) and they’ve held up great - no granule loss so far.
- Attic temp only dropped ~3°F after the new shingles. Didn’t really notice a difference inside until I added more blown-in fiberglass.
- Lighter shingles do show dirt, but honestly, I’d rather sweep the roof than deal with leaks or curling.
- If you’re already re-roofing, might as well check attic vents too. My ridge vent was half blocked by old insulation... made a bigger difference than I expected.

Interesting to hear about the attic temp only dropping a few degrees after the new shingles went on. I see that a lot - folks expect a big difference from shingle color or brand, but unless you’re going from black to white, it’s usually pretty minor. The insulation and venting seem to move the needle way more, just like you noticed.

Curious, did you notice any difference in your cooling bills after adding the blown-in fiberglass? Sometimes people are surprised how much that helps, especially if the old stuff was thin or patchy. I’ve seen houses where just sealing up attic bypasses and adding a few more inches of insulation made the upstairs way more comfortable, even with darker shingles.

About those lighter shingles showing dirt - yeah, they do, but I’ve also seen darker ones fade weirdly over time, especially on south-facing slopes. Ever run into that? Some folks get annoyed by the streaks or uneven color after a few years. Personally, I’d rather deal with a little dirt than have to look at faded patches every time I pull in the driveway.

You mentioned your ridge vent was half blocked by insulation... That’s actually super common. I can’t count how many times I’ve pulled up old decking and found insulation jammed right up against the vent slot. Makes me wonder how many people think their attic is vented when it’s really not doing much at all. Did you end up clearing it out yourself or have someone do it during the re-roof?

One thing I’m always curious about: did you consider any of those “cool roof” shingles with higher reflectivity ratings? Or was it more about durability for hail? In my area (plenty of hail too), most folks go for impact resistance first and color second, but maybe that’s just local preference.

I’ve noticed the same thing with attic temps. I was expecting a bigger drop after swapping out my old, faded brown shingles for lighter gray, but honestly, it was maybe a 3-4 degree difference at most. What actually made a noticeable impact was when I had the insulation topped up - went from maybe R-19 (and some bare spots) to about R-49 with blown-in fiberglass. The upstairs bedrooms used to be sweltering in July, but now they’re much more manageable. Cooling bills dropped by about 10% over the summer, which surprised me since I didn’t think it would be that much. Sealing up those little gaps around light fixtures and attic hatches helped too.

On the shingle color, I went back and forth. Lighter shades definitely show more dirt, especially after pollen season or a big rainstorm, but darker ones seem to fade unevenly on the south side of my roof. My neighbor’s house is a good example - his charcoal shingles looked sharp for the first five years, then started getting patchy and streaked. I’d rather deal with some dirt than weird fading, personally.

The ridge vent situation was a headache. When we pulled off the old decking, there was insulation jammed right up against the vent slot - no airflow at all. The roofing crew cleared it out and installed baffles this time, so hopefully that helps. Makes you wonder how many homes have “vents” that aren’t actually doing anything.

I did look into those cool roof shingles with higher reflectivity ratings - Malarkey and CertainTeed both had options. In my area (Midwest), hail is a real concern though, so I prioritized impact resistance over reflectivity. The Class 4 rating gave me a small break on insurance too, which helped offset the higher cost. I guess if I lived somewhere hotter and less storm-prone, I might have gone for the cool roof option instead.

It’s hard to know what actually moves the needle until you try it yourself. For me, insulation and proper venting made way more difference than shingle color ever did.