Can the Color of Paint I Choose Affect My Home’s Energy Efficiency?
When it comes time to choose a paint color for your home, one thing you should keep in mind is energy efficiency. Few people realize it, but the color of their home does have an impact on how much heat your home traps during the year.
Different paint colors will be advantageous for areas that see hot summers and mild winters than for areas that are cold year round. To help you make your home more energy efficient, here’s a quick guide on which colors you’re better off choosing and which ones to avoid.
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Darker Colors Attract More Heat
You’ve heard that wearing black in the summer will make you feel hotter than wearing lighter colors, but did you know this extends to your home’s exterior color as well?
Darker paint colors do attract a lot more heat. In fact, your home might be absorbing as much as 70% of the radiant energy. If your roof is dark, you can expect a lot of heat to be trapped in your attic and slowly seep down into your home. While this may be great for homes in the north, it can mean a stifling summer for homes in the south.
Likewise, painting the sides of your home a darker color will attract even more heat. For example, using a dark blue or brown will raise indoor temperatures even if you have a good HVAC system. In cooler areas, this will reduce your heating bill and make it easier to stay warm when temperatures drop below freezing. In hot areas, though, this will raise your AC bill and make it hard to maintain a bearable temperature.
Lighter Colors Reflect Heat
Just like light-colored clothing feels cooler on a sunny day, a home painted in lighter colors will be cooler. This is because light colors reflect the sun’s radiant energy rather than absorbing it, making it less likely that your home will trap heat and increase in temperature during the day.
In warmer areas, you’ll find a lot of light colored homes painted in beige, white, light gray, and other neutral colors. You may even find lighter roofing materials. As you get closer to the southern border, you’ll notice terracotta roofing materials that further help reflect light as the material is lighter and less absorbent.
Painting your home a lighter color can help reduce your HVAC bill. You’ll be able to keep your home cool indoors without putting a strain on your AC or combatting your home’s natural inclination to absorb heat.
Conversely, if you live in an area where summers are relatively mild and winters are cold, having a light-colored home can actually reduce energy efficiency as you’re forced to run your heater much more frequently.
Conclusion
Choosing the right paint color for your home can affect your home’s energy efficiency, which is why homeowners should do some research and put more thought into it. The fact is that paint colors for your home aren’t only about aesthetics, but they do serve a more important function too. Call us today if you need any advice on the right paint colors to pick, and we’ll be glad to help you out!