Have you ever stopped to consider how history’s greatest artists chose their color palette? 

Vincent Van Gogh relied heavily on yellows and oranges in his artwork, and utilized a regular color theme in his works. 

Claude Monet never used the color black in his paintings. This was common with many of the impressionists, as they believed that a change in hue was richer than a change in shade.

Frida Kahlo painted in bright and vivid colors. She associated an emotion and sensation to each color. Blue is the color of tenderness, and yellow of madness and mystery. 

You may never pick up a canvas and a paintbrush, but where you live? It’s a work of art! We call it “curb appeal”, but the end result is the same: every step of the process is charted out and planned in order to create a beautiful masterpiece you live in and love every day. 

That’s a pretty romantic thought, isn’t it? And maybe NOT what you were expecting when you decided to read this article on choosing your new roof’s color. Yet there’s a reason so many of our clients struggle with making the commitment to a new roof. 

Why?

Hint: It isn’t because they don’t think they need a roof to protect their investment. 

It’s because choosing the right color isn’t easy!

I want to make it easier for you by giving you a little industry insight to help out. Today we’ll be covering the most important factors to consider when choosing a color for your asphalt shingle roof. 

Ready to get started on your pièce de résistance? Read on!

How To Choose The Best Color Roof for Your Climate

You’ve heard it before: 

Location, location, location. 

It’s true in property value, livability, and in choosing the right color for your new roof!

Believe it or not, your roof’s location plays a pivotal role in choosing the right color for your home. Why?

Different colored roofs are better for different climates. And although it’s crazy to think that something as small as a roof’s color can affect your home, it’s true! 

When discussing attic ventilation, we talked about the dangers of a hot attic for your roof. In most cases, an unventilated attic damages your roof- even causing the shingles to melt. 

In the same way that your attic temperature can hurt your roof, your roof temperature can affect your attic. 

The darker the roof, the hotter the attic. 

Because light reflects heat, lighter roofs are able to deflect light away from your home. On the opposite spectrum, darker colors absorb heat, leading to warmer attic temperatures. 

According to the Department of Energy, attic temperatures in the summer can vary by 50 degrees when installing a darker roof. 

And while this might sound like a cautionary tale against dark colored roofs, that’s not the case! We love the look of a dark colored roof, and choosing a dark color isn’t necessarily a bad thing for your home.

The key is to plan the right color based on your location and climate. 

In climates with freezing winters, a dark colored roof is your best friend. Colder areas experience different types of roof damage than warmer. Instead of melting shingles, homeowners have to watch out for ice dams. 

Here in Schuylkill County, the most popular roof color is dark grey. Our harsh Pennsylvania winters are a bigger cause for concern than our humid summers, so a dark grey is a good choice for our area of the USA. When the right color is paired with proper attic ventilation and durable materials, you’re promised a roof designed to last for years to come. 

Historic Roof Colors vs The Modern Roof Selection 

When asphalt shingles first became popular they were only offered in greys and dark tones.

Now, there’s hundreds of different colors to choose from! 

But when it comes to roofing on an older home, limiting your options might help narrow down your decision. 

Materials have changed to fit every style of home, regardless of age. But in an area where we have so many beautiful historic homes? You can’t go wrong with a classic. 

Take this historic home, for example: 

The dark grey roof compliments the lighter siding. The two pair together to create excellent curb appeal and offer a historic look without compromising quality. 

Or look at the roof on this Queen Anne style home: 

The grey roof doesn’t take away from the original design. Instead, it allows the architectural design of the porch and tower to take center stage, complimenting the beautiful brick facade. 

What if you have a modern home? You’re in luck! Don’t be afraid to branch out, there are so many gorgeous colors to choose from. 

Aged cooper was named as the roofing color of the year for 2021, and we’re in love with it!

The warm color creates a cottage-like appearance and pairs beautifully with nearly any facade. 

The Rule of Three in Home Exterior Design

While we’re on the subject of siding, pro tip: match your roof to your existing exterior. Home designers recommend choosing three colors for your home’s exterior. It’s important to choose colors that complement and work well with each other. 

When talking about choosing vinyl siding colors in the past, we looked at the color wheel. Let’s have a quick refresher on how that works. 

Using the Color Wheel 

The color of your siding is arguably the most important thing to consider when choosing a color for your new roof. 

When it comes to choosing a color, there are two themes to follow: 

• Complementary 
• Analogous

First, let’s look at complementary colors. 

Complimentary colors are two colors on opposite sides of the color wheel. Complementary colors contrast each other, but work well despite that. 

Let’s look at teal, for example. A complementary color to that is a burnt red. Here’s what that looks like on a house: 

But complementary colors aren’t the only way to go. Analogous colors are another great style option. 

Analogous are colors right next to each other on the color wheel. 

Let’s use the same teal as before, but now paired with an analogous color, like dark blue.

Although both houses use the same teal color, the difference between the complementary and  analogous color is amazing! 

And this same rule applies to every siding and roof choice, not just bright colors. Take this home for example:

The analogous cream color matched with grey overtones blend perfectly together. There’s no contrast, but the house still has character and great curb appeal. 

And look at this home with complementary colors: 

The brown and purple are a stellar pairing. The light brown offers a cool backdrop, and the dark purple serves as a subtle color pop. 

This professional design calculator lets you create different color palettes. If you’re curious about what colors are the best complementary and analogous choice, this resource is perfect for you. 

Try Our Our Visualization Software 

Still not sure the best color for your roof? Have a Pinterest board full of designs, and can’t narrow down the right one? 

You don’t have to go it alone! 

Here at Martin Carpentry, we love helping homeowners with roof installations and we’re there for every step of the process. 

We utilize GAF’s visualization software and our in-house design experts to help you “see” your color options before we order materials for your project.

Want to talk more about the perfect color for your roof? Ready to replace that old asphalt shingle roof and give your home a masterpiece makeover in the process? Let us handle the art of your next project! 

Give us a call at 570-345-0406, and get started on your dream home!

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After years of wood siding upkeep and rot control we’re having it all replaced with vinyl.

My question: 

We’re considering insulated vinyl siding… but is it worth it? I know it’s energy efficient and can help add insulation. But does it add enough to justify the cost?

Is it something we should seriously consider or just a scam? 

Thanks-

Cody from Hamburg, PA”

Cody, 

After upkeeping wood- you’re going to love the low-maintenance of your new vinyl. 

Today’s vinyl siding isn’t like what they installed back in the 90s. Manufacturers have responded to the product’s growing popularity by offering upgrades in style, durability, and- you’re right- even insulation. There is a lot to talk about when it comes to choosing new vinyl siding.

Before we talk about the pros and cons of insulated vinyl siding- let me give you a quick look at what it is.

From our end, as a contractor, the biggest difference between insulated and standard vinyl siding is just the extra insulation. There isn’t going to be a significant difference in installation price per ft. 

The siding itself remains the same, but when insulated, there is a layer of foam installed between the siding and your home. 

Here’s what that looks like: 

As you said, the added insulation’s job is to make your home more energy efficient by lowering the internal temperature of your home. In fact, that’s the biggest reason people choose it. 

Regulating Air Flow 

It sounds like you’ve done some research on this product already- so the term “R-value” probably looks familiar. R-value is a measurement of heat flow resistance of insulation…not just on siding but of fiberglass, blown-in, windows, etc.  

Insulated vinyl adds an insulative factor of R-2 to R-5. Just to give you something to compare, the standard attic is insulated to R-38 or higher. 

In my opinion? This small addition really doesn’t make much of a difference when it comes to energy efficiency. 

That’s not to say the insulation doesn’t have some benefits. The insulation in vinyl siding does offer: 

• • Firmer appearance
  • Resistance to Impact Damage 
  • Noise Reduction 

But if you’re trying to save on your energy bill? You might not see the big savings you expect. 

Moisture Risk: Misconception or Potential Problem?

One big question we get when asked about insulated vinyl siding is:

Does insulated siding put my home at greater risk of mold?

This popular question stems from the belief that the foam insulation will absorb and hold moisture- creating mold. 

Even the strongest siding allows a little water to leak through. Because of that, it’s important to only work with materials that dry out quickly. 

Home Innovations Research Lab compared insulated siding to nine other popular materials and compared how each held moisture. Insulated vinyl outperformed every other material. 

But this added protection comes at a high price. Adding insulation to your siding can raise the cost by as much as 50%.

Insulated vinyl isn’t the only way to protect your home from moisture. Our supplier, Ply Gem, offers the most storm resistant siding available, meaning you can get the protection without the high price. Their sustainable siding is designed to protect against impact and water damage.

Ready for New Siding? 

Would I choose insulated vinyl siding for my home? For me- I’m not sure it’s worth the cost. If you’re wanting a more efficient home, the money may be better spent making sure your attic is insulated and ventilated properly- or upgrading your windows. If your home is drafty and you’re looking for a way to improve your utility bills- call us and we’ll come take a look.

But it’s a personal decision. Any way you go, you’re going to see a big difference between your current wood siding and your new vinyl when it comes to exterior protection. 

No matter what kind of vinyl siding you choose to work with, we’re here to help. If you have any questions, need help choosing the right color or style for your home, or want a professional installation you can depend on- give me a call at 570-345-0406 to talk more about your project. 

Until next time, 

Vern

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The post Ask Vern: Is Insulated Vinyl Siding Worth it? appeared first on Martin Roofing & Siding.