Replacing or repairing your roof gives you the opportunity to entirely revamp your home. Because changing your tiles or shingles isn’t a weekly affair, it’s important to decide on the right color from the start so you don’t end up spending your life savings on changing, and re-changing, your roof.
The color of your roof affects the entire look of your home. When planning for a reroofing the scariest part can be deciding on the color, unless you know what factors to consider along the way – which turns this home roof repair decision into a piece of cake.
Functionality
Aside from personal preference, there doesn’t seem to be any obvious functionality behind different colors… Right?
While aesthetics plays a large role in the color decision, there are other factors to consider when choosing a color. Some of these are:
Temperature
The tile or shingle color of your home can affect your attic temperature by 20°F to 40°F – potentially costing you a fortune in the cooling and heating of your home. Darker colors absorb heat from the sun which helps warm your home when it’s cold. Because we live in the sunshine state our cold weather is basically non-existent, so a lighter color will be a more suitable choice. These deflect sunlight and keep your home cooler during the blazing summers.
Resale Value
Roof replacement is usually a once-every-15-25-year job. So, if you plan on reselling your home in the next few years, and roof replacement isn’t warranted in that time, you’ll want to pick a roof color that isn’t too “out there.” Bold colors can be fun, but can make reselling your home more difficult because prospective buyers might not have the same taste as you.
Homeowners Association Regulations
Considering your neighbors or complying with subdivision rules and covenants is a huge part of the process when choosing a roof color. Be sure to read through the association’s restrictions and guidelines. Sometimes you will have to have your choices approved by the association before you can proceed with construction.
It is also good to consider if your roof will clash or match too closely with your neighbor’s roof.
Aesthetics
Just like every person has their own unique fashion sense, each home has its own sense of style. The largest part of choosing one color over another is the look of it. Choosing a color to match your home’s style can be split into the following categories:
Color Coordination
You want your tiles or shingles to suit the other parts of your home without entirely blending in. Some colors will compliment your home’s exterior look, while others will clash or blend into the walls. Make sure you don’t choose a color too similar to the walls and trim on your home.
Tils or Shingles that are gray and slate colored match homes with cooler toned walls. Brown, tan, and cream walls can be accented with browns, terracotta or a mixture of cream and brown if you want a lighter look overall.
Architectural Elements
Darker colors can make objects appear smaller, with lighter colors opening up and widening spaces. Playing with contrast can be interesting – just keep in mind the temperature aspect of darker colors.
Keeping Things Foolproof
When in doubt – test it out. Before making your final decision, here are two things you can do to ‘test drive’ your chosen color:
- View samples and see what the color looks like next to your walls.
- Edit a photo of your home with its existing roof and change the color to your chosen one.
After correctly preparing for a home roof repair, contact an expert roofing professional from ABC Roofing Corp. on (954) 344-4622 and schedule an appointment to receive help with your color choice and then to make your choice a reality.
