Metal roofing has quickly become one of the hottest trends in home improvement, thanks to its eco-friendly properties, low maintenance, and unbeatable longevity. Of course, the striking beauty of a metal roof can’t be understated, and one of the most important considerations you can make for your new investment is which color you should choose. Although manufacturers can make your roof virtually any color imaginable, the color of your roof can have a dramatic effect on its environmental impact and its overall performance. Below, we’ve listed three tips for choosing the right roof color, and how your choice can impact your home and surrounding area.

1) Optimal Performance

One of the main reasons metal roofing has become so popular is because the material can endure pretty much anything mother nature can throw at it. And, while this is largely due to the inherent strength and reflexivity of the material itself, the color of your roof can play into how well it ages. White and light colored roofs will reflect the maximum amount of light and will prevent your home from getting too warm — this is what will help save money on your cooling bills. Is your heart set on a dark colored roof? You need to be sure that it gets a “cool coatingâ€, which is a layer of special highly reflective pigments that allows the dark paint to reflect light nearly as well as white. Otherwise, your dark roof will absorb more sunlight than it reflects, which will overheat your home and cause your bills to rise.

2) Environmental Impact

If you live in an area with high snowfall, a darker roof may be more beneficial than a light roof because it absorbs more heat. This will allow snow to melt more quickly, and because of the slippery nature of metal, accumulations should easily slide off as well. This will keep you from worrying about those heavy pileups that can happen in winter, and the extra warmth helps keep your home more insulated in colder climates.

If you live in a city, however, having a white or light-colored roof can help prevent the “heat island†effect. Because cities have a high concentration of buildings in a small area, the amount of heat absorbed by buildings with dark roofs can contribute to higher temperatures in the area. To combat this, white roofs will dissipate the heat more effectively and keep buildings cooler, which will help lower the overall temperature and energy usage across the whole city.

3) Overall Aesthetic

Of course, one of the most important factors in choosing a color for your metal roof is its visual impact. Most manufacturers have a wider range of colors to choose from, and can create virtually any additional colors you’d like. Some homeowners want their roof to make a really striking statement and go with bright, bold reds, greens, and blues to contrast with a light or neutral-colored house. Others want their roofs to coordinate with windows, doors, and other central features of their homes, and thus they choose more traditional hues like chocolate brown, slate grey, or even mossy greens and soft reds to create a much more cohesive and muted effect. As you’re choosing the perfect color, remember to consider how it will look at both nighttime and daytime — the difference can be quite dramatic!

It might be surprising to learn just how much one particular color can effect the overall energy efficiency and environmental impact of your roof and home. Thanks to protective cool coatings, homeowners can now choose virtually any paint color and achieve a similar reflexivity to a white roof. However, it’s still important to consider any special weather or environmental considerations in the area in which you live.