4 Ways to Choose The Right Shingle Color For Your Home

Roofing shingle color, a roof covering made up of separate, flat, rectangular, overlapping elements, are much responsible for your roof’s appearance and longevity, and as such, for making an excellent first impression of your house. We don’t buy or change roofs frequently, do we? So, while picking the correct shingle color, you must get it right in the first go. 

Here are four ways to pick the right shingle color for your home:

Adhere to Neighborhood Standards –

Does an association run your residential complex? If so, check whether they have established any bylaws regarding shingle colors. 

For instance, if the rules say blacks only, you’d certainly not want to risk installing brick-reds. Also, your home won’t sell well if it differs starkly in appearance from the rest of the neighborhood. Generally, potential buyers will prefer neutral shingle colors like brown, black, and gray.

So, pick a shingle color or combination consistent with your neighborhood standards. This becomes particularly important when the houses are adjacent to each other or adjoin a road. 

If you’re not residing in a complex, just drive around the neighborhood and look at the other roofs. If they appeal to you, find out from neighbors about identical shingle colors and consider how they’d visually complete your house. Else, explore other colors that will give your home a unique look. 

Browse magazines for novel ideas, or seek your roofing contractor’s advice. Roofers have tons of experience doing countless roofs, so, they’ll surely know the right and wrong shingle colors for any type of house. 

Consider Climatic Conditions –

 Keep in mind that shingle colors alter the temperature of your attic by about forty degrees. Dark-colored shingles absorb heat and are apt for cold climates, as the excess heat helps to melt snow faster. For instance, black shingles work well for homes in Minnesota during its freezing-cold winters. 

On the other hand, light-colored shingles make a good choice for extremely warm or humid climates, because they reflect heat and prevent the over-usage of air conditioners in your house.

If you live in an area that receives plenty of sunshine throughout the day, for instance, anywhere in Florida, go for bolder shingle colors, such as radiant blues and deep reds. The reason being that light, neutral colors appear washed out in the strong sunlight.

Some states in the US require houses to have extremely reflective, exterior colors for meeting environmental codes. Generally, local roofing contractors are aware of such codes which can help you to select the right shingle color. 

For example, in California, residential roofing must meet Title 24, the country’s most significant cool roofing code, thus reducing the home’s carbon footprint. So, if you’re planning to settle in California while building your house, look for cool roof-rated shingles like those made of asphalt with exclusive, high-reflectance granules added to them.

Moreover, they are designed to effectively reflect sunlight and to absorb less heat, such specialized asphalt shingles come in several colors, like white, light as well as dark shades of grey and dark shades of brown.

Emphasize your home’s architectural design with Right Shingle Color 

While picking a shingle color, look at the color/s of your home’s exterior and its architectural style. Coordinate the shingle colors with them so that they enhance the visual appeal of your house.

Make sure not to match everything. Otherwise, it’ll create an overall bland, monotone look. Instead, irrespective of your home’s exterior design, always go for shingle colors that complement yet contrast with it, creating a fine visual balance. So, the main idea is to have all colors work in unison for achieving a visually synchronized and attractive whole.

For instance, if your home has a multicolored exterior, choose a single, neutral shingle color for an overall visual balance. Similarly, if your house has a plain exterior, go for multi-dimensional colors to add interest. With permanent exterior elements like bricks or stone, you must work the shingle color with their colors first and then look at the remaining elements. For example, if you have a chateau-style home with multicolored brickwork, it’d best go with a mixture of different shades of brown-colored asphalt roofing shingles. Your white beachside home can’t be complete without deep-blue-colored shingles. 

Dark-colored shingles make a house appear small, whereas light-colored ones make it look bigger. Do you reside in a multi-level home? If so, pick a darker shingle for your roof to give your house a top-down aesthetic effect. Conversely, if you’re staying in a single-story, ranch-style house, a medium-toned shingle will work best for the roof.

Black- or gray-colored shingles give white homes a perfectly traditional or historic look. So, for your Victorian or Colonial mansion, choose solid or differing shades of dark gray shingles to mimic the appearance of a slate-tiled roof, a fond reminder of the 18th-century, authentic wood shake roofing.

Black- or gray-colored shingles give white homes a perfectly traditional or historic look. So, for your Victorian or Colonial mansion, choose solid or differing shades of dark gray shingles to mimic the appearance of a slate-tiled roof, a fond reminder of the 18th-century, authentic wood shake roofing. 

Rustic or countryside homes, being less formal and relaxed in appearance and made with logs or stones, look best with brown- or green-colored shingles. For instance, weathered browns, as well as soft tones of greens, will surely enhance your home’s calm and laid-back setting. 

Your woodside holiday home, set in the middle of a cluster of trees will blend perfectly with the green surroundings when you’ll use solid forest-green-colored shingles or a combination of greens and browns. 

Use Technology –

 Many roofing companies’ websites have software tools letting you virtually try several shingle color options on your home. Simply upload one of your home’s pictures and test the new colors to its exterior. This way you’ll know how the new shingle looks alongside your home’s siding, rain gutters, and window shutters.

So, the next time you plan a roofing repair, use this innovative technology to beautify your home. A shingle color that looks good on a ranch house may not suit a Colonial or historic home. While building a new house, use mobile-friendly apps like the IKO Roofviewer to get tons of ideas for shingle colors that suit a range of architectural styles. 

Conclusion:

Now you know how to pick the right shingle color for your home. By adhering to the rules set by your neighborhood, considering climatic conditions, complementing your home’s architecture, and using technology to match shingle colors to your home’s exterior, you’re sure to get your home a stunning look.