Choosing the right exterior color for your home can be tricky. You’ve got to consider your neighborhood’s style, your landscaping, and how different shades look throughout the day. But did you know the color you pick can also impact your energy bills? We talked to Audrey McGarrell, a LEED Green Associate and the communications manager at the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC), to get the scoop on how exterior colors affect your utility costs.
“A building’s exterior color can affect the fraction of solar energy absorbed and heat emitted by its surface, which impacts the energy consumption of the home’s heating and cooling systems,” McGarrell explains. “Materials with a higher solar reflectance – measured on a scale from 0-1 – stay cooler in the sun than materials with a lower solar reflectance.“
But it’s not just about color – the actual materials you use matter too. “There are paint and siding products that use ‘infrared-reflective’ pigments, which strongly reflect invisible infrared light and help the surface stay cool, even if they appear dark,” McGarrell adds. So consider both color and material when upgrading your home’s exterior.
Light paint colors can lower HVAC bills
Generally speaking, lighter exterior colors absorb less solar radiation than darker shades. “In warmer parts of the US, using highly solar-reflective ‘cool’ exterior walls usually results in positive annual HVAC energy savings,” McGarrell says. “But in cooler climates, cool exterior walls can have a neutral or negative impact on overall HVAC savings.”
So if you’re looking to lower your cooling costs, a lighter exterior color is the way to go. Just be sure to factor in your local climate before making any changes. And if you really want to experiment, look into investing in infrared-reflective paint or siding materials.
How infrared-reflective paint and materials perform in certain climates
Switching to a more solar-reflective exterior can definitely reduce air conditioning bills in warm, sunny climates. But the exact savings will depend on factors like your home’s size, insulation, and age.
“For example, an older 2,000-square-foot home with gas heating in Miami, Florida might save about $100 a year by increasing the exterior walls’ solar reflectance from 0.25 to 0.60,” McGarrell estimates. But these savings are less pronounced in cooler regions, where the impacts may be more modest or even result in an overall penalty.
Ultimately, McGarrell advises comparing the radiative properties of different exterior products to find the one that best meets your needs – whether that’s maximizing energy savings or achieving a certain look. It’s all about finding the right balance for your home and climate.
