Roof colors have a large impact on the visual aesthetics of your home, while the type of roof might be the biggest decision you could make in both functionality and aesthetics, it’s color that becomes the icing on the cake. Some roof types come in many colors, some come with very few, regardless, selecting the right color for you is an important decision to make, and it’s more about aesthetics believe it or not!
Today we will be discussing the 5 biggest mistakes Indiana residents (or any resident) make when choosing a roof color. Some of these topics might be quite surprising to many people, or maybe you have already considered these factors, nonetheless, we think everyone should consider these tips on choosing a roof color.
Not Considering Looking For Inspiration
You have the freedom to stand out however you wish, your home is yours and you are likely paying good money for the freedom to customize it to your liking. However, inspiration can be an important factor when deciding on what you want to do – especially for an investment and decision as great as roof installation.
Look at your neighbor’s homes, how does the color of their roofs play with the overall visuals of their homes? Do you like what you see? Or perhaps you might have an idea that is more suited to your own tastes. Oftentimes what we picture in our minds comes out as completely different in reality and this is one of the reasons we highly encourage residents to strongly think about the type and color of roof that they decide to select from us. We’ll even offer advice if you choose to ask!
Not Asking for Samples
If you haven’t seen the color in person, we highly advise against jumping the gun and picking something that you don’t know what looks like in person. This ties into our previous point about something you picture in your mind might not be accurate to reality. You can ask for samples from us with your quote so that you can ensure that you know exactly what the roof looks like in person before finally committing. In addition, testing your samples outdoors in different lighting helps you understand what the color looks like in different settings.
Not Considering the Energy Costs and Heat of Very Dark/Black Roofs
Black is an excellent roof color that fits with many types of home décor, but we also like to point out that you can’t change science when it comes to this. Dark roofs trap in heat and summers in Indiana can get especially brutal with temperatures reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit at points. Many people counteract this with air conditioners and fans, but those can get quite expensive to run on their most powerful settings overtime. If you don’t have a good solution to cooling your home or are concerned about energy usage, it’s worth deciding if you want a dark roof or a lighter color that can keep your home cooler. Alternatives to darker roofs can be:
- Blue
- White
- Gray
- Yellow
- Orange
Not Getting Advice
If this is your first time having a new roof installed, it can be daunting to decide what you want. If you are in this scenario, ask people who are experts in home décor, have had roofs installed themselves, or just ask us! (as we noted in a previous section).
If you truly don’t know what you want, don’t randomly settle on a color without considering the long-term commitment that decision has. This is a crucial part on how to choose a roof color. You can take a picture of your home and post it on social media,forums, texts, and ask what color roof might look best for your home. This will help you gauge the most appealing colors for your place and give you an idea of what you might like yourself.
Not Choosing What You Want
There’s nothing wrong with wanting what your neighbors or other people have, but choosing a color solely based on what others might think despite strongly wanting a specific type of color will only diminish how you feel about what you chose. Buyer’s remorse is something nobody should have to experience, especially with an investment that deals with the décor of your home. If you think you might like a specific color, but aren’t sure, see our previous recommendations on asking for samples and asking around how it might look:
- Home Designers
- Homeowners
- Random strangers
- Friends
- Family
- Your contractor
All of these groups can pitch in and offer advice. If you’d like to spruce up the look of your home, get in touch with us!