eli5: If white reflects light, why do most houses have black shingles on the roof?

Question

eli5: If white reflects light, why do most houses have black shingles on the roof?

In: 0

Answer 1

It depends on your latitude. Closer to the tropics it’s more common to have lighter colored roofs and even bright tiles. Black roofs are more common in temperate regions with lots of snow. Black means they heat up in the sun and melt off the snow or dry off after a heavy rainstorm.