“if you’re not paying attention to which side gets hammered by sun and wind, you’re just asking for trouble.”
That’s the truth. I’m in Texas and my south-facing slope always looks rougher than the rest, even with regular maintenance. I started looking into cool roof coatings—nothing fancy, just a lighter color—and it actually helped with heat and shingle wear. Not a total fix, but it buys some time. Also, I hear you on trees. Love the shade, but after one too many close calls, I keep mine trimmed way back now.
My first summer here, I thought the north side would be the problem—nope, it’s the west-facing roof that gets roasted every afternoon. I tried those reflective shingles, but honestly, the biggest difference came from just hosing it down during heat waves. Not fancy, but it kept my attic from turning into an oven. Trees are great for shade, but I learned the hard way that squirrels love using them as a launchpad onto my roof... trimmed them back real quick after that.
“squirrels love using them as a launchpad onto my roof... trimmed them back real quick after that.”
That’s hilarious—didn’t realize I was building a squirrel amusement park until I heard them running laps up there. I tried the reflective paint too, but honestly, hosing it down is way more satisfying (and cheaper). West-facing roofs really do take a beating.
I get the appeal of the reflective paint, but honestly, I’ve never seen it make a big enough difference to justify the price—especially when you’re on a budget. Hosing off the roof is a classic, though. I’m curious, has anyone actually noticed lower attic temps after painting? I’ve got asphalt shingles and west sun like you, but I’m still skeptical. Also, how do you all deal with the mess in the gutters after trimming back trees? That’s been my main headache every fall.
Reflective paint’s one of those things that sounds great in theory, but I’m with you—it didn’t do much for my folks’ place either. Maybe a couple degrees cooler in the attic, but not enough to notice unless you’re up there all day. For the gutter mess, I started using a cheap plastic scoop and a tarp on the ground. It’s messy, but way faster than trying to flush everything out with a hose. If you’ve got a lot of trees, gutter guards help some, but they’re not magic—still gotta clear out the fine stuff every season.
