Pros and Cons of Painting Asphalt Shingles
Painting your asphalt shingles can provide some protection against wear and tear and update the appearance of your home. However, there are some situations where there are more drawbacks than positives.
Pros:
Asphalt’s appearance often clashes with the rest of the house, but you can fix that easily with a coat of paint.
Painting an asphalt roof is easy and doesn’t require much prep work.
Paint protects shingles from weather damage.
Painting a roof is less expensive than replacing it.
The right paint color can insulate your house better, so you can save on your energy bills.
A light paint color can help to reflect heat and keep the house cool.
Cons:
Once you paint your roof, you will need to conduct regular maintenance like repainting the shingles every 6-7 years.
You will probably need to pay for professional house painters. Moreover, finding professionals to paint your roof might be difficult.
Paint can actually exacerbate heat damage, leading to asphalt shingles that warp during the summer.
Paint can’t protect against more serious forms of roof damage, so sometimes your only option is to replace it.
When to Paint Roof Shingles
Improving the Look of Your Roof
If you are looking to improve the look of your roof, painting the shingles makes sense. You should note, however, that painting the shingles of a roof that is not structurally sound, or is damaged, will only fix the appearance and not the roof itself.
