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

Cost, durability, and appearance.

Asphalt is cheap, in order to have white shingles you’d need to use another, naturally white material that may or may not have the other properties you’d need, or to paint them white which adds $$$. You’d also need to repaint them intermittently as water exposure will gradually wear down the paint, and dark colors hide any stains/dirt/mildew/etc dramatically better than white.