With roof materials available in every color of the rainbow, you can have whatever shade you want when investing in a new roof. That’s a great thing, but it also makes the decision more challenging than if you only had to choose between brown, dark brown, or slightly lighter brown. To help you narrow down your choices, here’s everything you need to know about selecting a roof color:
It’s a Vibe
What is the feeling you want your home to convey? If you want to make a statement, a red or blue roof can help you do that. Stick with browns, grays, or blacks if you want something timeless and classic.
If your home is surrounded by forest, warm earth tones will help it blend with its environment. A contemporary home in an urban setting may call for cooler shades or more unusual roof colors.
Whatever feeling you want for your home, there is a roof color that will match that vibe. If you aren’t sure what roof colors go with your vision, a residential roofer can help you decide.
H-Oh No!-A
Even if you decide that a bright pink roof is perfect for your tastes and home, it might not be the right roof choice. Why? If you live in a neighborhood with a homeowner’s association (HOA) or similar governing body, they may limit the roof colors allowed in the community. Some will restrict you to specific products, while others will have the right to approve any selection you make. Check with your HOA before you begin selecting materials. Otherwise, you may fall in love with something only to find it falls outside the community standards.
Keep up With the Joneses–Or Not
Look around your neighborhood. If you see any roofs that stand out, decide if it’s for good reasons or bad. Because homes within each neighborhood tend to have the same architectural style, you can see what works and what doesn’t with the style of your home by looking at your neighbors homes.
Some homeowners like to blend in. They want their home to be part of a cohesive community. Others want to stand out, using their roof to differentiate their home from the sea of similar neighbors. Whether you want to flock together with birds of a feather or be an eagle among pigeons, looking around your neighborhood can help you select a roof color.
Style Survey
When selecting a roof color, remember to consider what the roof will be sitting on. Your home’s style and color are essential components of the roof color choice. If your house has a blue garage and trim, a dark gray roof with hints of blue will create a cohesive look. If your home is painted in all cool colors, a warm brown roof may not be the best option.
It’s not just the color of your home that matters. Choosing a color and material that matches the building’s architectural style is critical. If your home is a traditional Victorian style, an orange clay tile roof will look out of place.
You should also think ahead. Those blue garage doors may have been there when you bought your house. You don’t love them but didn’t dislike them enough to make an immediate change. When it is time to paint your home, will you make a change? If so, coordinating with blue doors that will be gone long before the roof doesn’t make sense. Similarly, if your siding is nearing the end of its useful life, think about the color choices you want to make for that. Make sure your new roof works with your plans for your home.
Think of the Future
With most roof materials lasting several decades and the typical homeowner selling their house every 13 years, there’s an excellent chance someone else will eventually own your roof. Seeing a sample of a sage roof tile may make you green with envy, but if you go with that option, it could give future buyers a case of the blues. The more unusual your roof color choice, the more likely it is to be off-putting to buyers. Just as most real estate agents encourage owners to use neutral paint colors, a neutral roof will be the safest bet for resale.
Weigh your desire to have a roof color you love that stands out from the crowd against how it might affect your resale value. There’s no correct answer to this question: if your roof color leaves future buyers seeing red, it may be worth it for the years you get to enjoy the roof you love. Just be sure you consider this factor in your decision-making.
Latitude Attitude
Roof color has a meaningful impact on the temperature of your home. If you live in a hot climate where you battle high temperatures and even higher summer electricity costs, a light-colored roof may be the smartest choice. Light colors reflect more sunlight, helping to keep your home cooler. On the other hand, if warming your home in winter is a significant challenge, a dark roof will absorb more of the sun’s warmth, transferring some of that heat into your living spaces. Utah roofing contractors can help you understand how a material’s color will affect your home’s temperature. Pairing the right color for your temperature challenges with an energy-friendly, well-insulated roof can have a significant impact on your energy use and expense.
Color us impressed. You made it through our guide on selecting a roof color. By keeping these elements in mind, you will surely end up with a roof color that leaves you tickled pink, whether you end up with a stately slate gray or a surprising steel blue.