Norminn wrote:
olddog wrote:


"JohnR66" wrote in message
...

It is getting near time for a new roof. I have a medium blown color
shingle now. I think I will go with a lighter shade to lower the
heat load a bit.
Does the color have much of an effect on shingle life? What is a
good long lasting brand of fiberglass/asphalt shingle? Do roofers
typically charge more for a roof with a steeper slope (45 deg).
Thanks

I've been wondering the same thing. I'm going to need a new roof soon
but I'm afraid white would show dirt. Here's article about
light-colored cooling systems.

http://www.professionalroofing.net/a...98/feature.asp

My house has large trees (that shed leaves and stuff) that covers
about 1/4 of my roof so I'll have to get a darker colored shingle to
keep it clean looking but I'd like to have a white shingled roof.

olddog

I've read that light color roofs have more mold/mildew growth than
dark roofs because they don't get as hot. I wish I was up to
figuring the benefit in heating costs vs. trying to avoid or clean
the crud that grows on a roof )

I don't think it's the mold - I think it is simply DIRT. Dirt in the sense
of nastiness in the air that settles on everything. Darker roofs just don't
show it.

Light colored buildings - such as the marble statutes at St Peter's
Basilica - have to be power-washed every so often to clean off the
precipitated smog. Maybe the brickwork on your house has a blackish tint?
Same thing.

If you live in the country (WAY out in the country) where car exhausts and
the like don't pollute the air with solid particulates, maybe a white roof
will work. In the city or suburbs, it'll get very visible black deposits.
They'll look like streaks downstream of vents and stacks where they don't
get as much rain wash-off.