Malarkey’s solid for durability, but if the air’s trapped up there, any shingle will struggle.
That’s been my experience too—shingle brand only gets you so far if the attic’s basically a sauna. I’ve seen folks spend a fortune on “cool” shingles and still have upstairs rooms that feel like ovens. Out of curiosity, what’s your insulation situation like? Sometimes it’s not just airflow, but also old or patchy insulation making things worse. Ever tried one of those infrared cameras to spot hot spots?
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing—new shingles only helped a little until I beefed up the insulation and added more vents. The infrared camera idea’s solid; I borrowed one from a buddy and found a couple spots where insulation had slumped. Made a big difference once I fixed those. Sometimes it’s just layers of small fixes that add up.
That’s been my experience too—just swapping out shingles didn’t really cool things down much. I was surprised how much difference it made once I sealed up a couple weird gaps in the attic insulation. Didn’t even notice them until I crawled around up there one weekend. Also, adding a ridge vent helped more than I expected. Honestly, it’s kinda wild how all these little tweaks add up over time... not always the big-ticket stuff that makes the biggest change.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild how all these little tweaks add up over time... not always the big-ticket stuff that makes the biggest change.
Totally agree—people overlook attic details all the time. I’ve seen more improvement from sealing gaps and adding baffles than from just changing shingles. If you haven’t checked for air leaks around light fixtures or the attic hatch, it’s worth a look. Even a little weatherstripping can make a difference. Ridge vents are great, but don’t forget soffit vents—they need to be clear so air actually moves through. Sometimes it’s the combo of small fixes that really drops those attic temps.
Sometimes it’s the combo of small fixes that really drops those attic temps.
Man, you nailed it. Folks always wanna talk about the “miracle shingle” but I’ve seen more sweaty attics saved by a $5 can of spray foam than a whole new roof. Had a job last summer—lady swore her new shingles would fix everything, but we found a gap around her attic fan big enough to let a raccoon through. Plugged it, added a couple baffles, and suddenly her AC wasn’t working overtime. Shingles help, but those little gaps are sneaky.