Roofs are very important part of your home’s structure, but they also play a vital role in boosting the overall look of your house, and even its resale value in future. It’s not an easy task; if you’re trying to choose a color of roof tiles or shingles for your re-roofing project, take your time and think it through. You’re going to have that roof for many, many years–and let’s face it, a new roof isn’t a cheap home improvement project. Choose wisely and try not to be overwhelmed with the myriad of color combinations. Better yet, take the advice of a Bay Area roofing contractor who knows the business of roofing repair and replacement inside and out. Here are a few of our tips for choosing the best roof color that suits your home’s style and structure.

Go Dark or Go Light?

Since the roof is most sun exposed part of the home, its heat retention does depend a lot on the color of the roof tiles. If you choose a darker or lighter shade of roofing it will also affect the heat retention. Try going for a neutral shade in the grays and browns color family to lessen the risk. If the exterior of your home is a cool color, go with a shade of gray for the roofing. If the exterior of your home is a warm color, go with a shade of tan or brown for the tiles or shingles. If you don’t need the extra warmth in your home, and want to keep it cool, opt for a light colored roof. Depending on the design/shape of your roof, you may be able to choose a roof coating that reflects the solar heat and keeps it cool. There are also metallic paints that could be a solution to avoiding more heat from entering your homes when layered inside the roof deck.

Consider the Exterior Colors

Bricks are permanent structures, but you can still have some fun with shutters and front door’s paint colors. A good starting point would be to pair the shingle color with the brick first, and then match them with the paint colors. If your home isn’t brick, try matching the tones of the shingles to your dominant (or accent) exterior color.

Go for a neutral shingle color if you have a bold color for the exterior, and are planning to sell your home soon.

Another important factor would be to try and camouflage the gutters by matching them with the roof color. This will give your roof an extended look and good overall aesthetic appeal.

Consult with Our Bay Area Roofing Contractors First

So remember, take your time choosing the colors for your re-roofing or gutter installation options. Consult with our team at Century Roof & Tile for help and color samples to browse through. Our Bay Area roofing team is just a click or call away. Contact us today at (510)780-9489 or contact us online via our contact form.

The expression “having a roof over one’s head” signals security and stability.
But even the best roofs need to be maintained, repaired, and sometimes replaced. Your choice of roofing material for your San Francisco home or Bay Area business can profoundly influence not only your roof maintenance repair costs for years to come but also the likelihood (or not) that your Bay Area home will stand up to gusting winds, heavy downpours, and pestilential invaders of all sizes.

Here are 4 common types of roofs:

1. Clay or Terracotta Look

Clay and Terracotta roofs are ideal for Spanish, Mediterranean, Southwestern, and modern homes. Clay is resistant to burning and rotting, and insects have a devilish time doing anything to clay. Clay is also available in myriad colors and styles, and the tiles require practically zero maintenance. The downsides include the price (high quality clay is not cheap!) as well as the fragility of the tiles. A falling branch can shatter tiles. Plus, tiles also weigh more than other materials, so you may need to add support for them.

2. Slate

Do you want your home to resemble a grand old building of the Ivy League? If so, slate rooning might be an appropriate choice. Slate is also relatively expensive, but it looks natural, and you can use diverse patterns. Like clay tiles, slate tiles protect well against fires, they’re easy to maintain, and they’re highly resistant to pests and rotting. Like clay, however, slate can weigh a lot; and, when you do need maintenance, cleaning the tiles can be complicated.

3. Composition Shingles

These more affordable roofs are versatile and simple to install. Composition roofing come in a plethora of colors and style types. If “going green” is important to you, you can get recycled shingles. You can also “upgrade” to shingles made of fiberglass or asphalt. Composition shingles also offer pretty stellar fire protection (at least for most brands) and have a low maintenance burden. On the downside, the materials don’t exactly have a fabulous aesthetic, and they can get blown off or damaged during winds and storms.

4. Wood Shakes

Like composition shingles, wood shake roofing offer a dazzling diversity of colors, styles, and patterns. They also can help you with insulation and circulation. Wood shakes are obviously more fire vulnerable than clay or slate tiles. Impregnating shingles with fire retardant is generally better than simply spraying chemicals on. The installation process can be quite complicated; and wood is vulnerable to insects, fungal rot, mold, etc. When you choose a higher quality wood (e.g. one made from cedar tree hardwood), you can protect yourself against some of these issues (e.g. easy rotting). Different shake mills produce different quality products, so you need to be vigilant when you shop.

For help choosing the right roof for your needs, get in touch with the experts here at Century Roof & Solar. We can provide objective, customized and sensible advice about how to repair/maintain and install your roofing selection. Call us today for a free consultation.