Which Paint Colors Save the Most on Heating and Cooling?

September 2nd, 2018

1 min read

It is a constant task to keep your home cool during the summer and warm during the winter. You’ve probably thought of just about everything; there are rugs, windows, blinds, fans, and so much more you can do. However, have you thought about your paint colors? Interior and exterior paint colors can affect how much heat your walls absorb. It can change the amount of heat in your walls by as much as 35%. Depending on where you live, you could save a lot of money.

Exterior Paint

The United States Department of Energy estimates that dark paint colors absorb between 70% and 90% of the energy from the sunlight. Obviously, all of that energy does not translate into your home but some of it does get absorbed by the inner walls of your house. If you are trying to keep your home warm, you could choose a dark color to absorb as much winter sunlight as possible. Inversely, if you want to keep your home cool, light colors absorb about 35% of the energy from sunlight. That could be a significant difference.

Those living in the Southeast and Southwest might want to invest in light colors for their home and for the roof. Those living in the Northeast and Northwest might want to invest in darker colors to absorb as much sunlight as possible. If you want to keep your home as adaptable as possible, you might choose a light color for one side of the house and a dark color for the side that faces the setting sun.

Interior Paint

The color of an interior room doesn’t affect the temperature nearly as much as exterior paint colors might. However, it will affect the amount of light. If a room is painted a light color, it will reflect more light and the room will be brighter. That means you won’t need to run your lights nearly as much. That will save you money on your power bill as well.

That being said, a lightly colored wall inside of your home will absorb less heat than a dark wall. If the wall is in direct sunlight during some part of the day, it could be worthwhile to invest in a wall that helps you maintain the temperature you prefer. It might seem like a minor change but tiny savings can add up over time. You might be surprised by the decrease in your power bill.

Andy Roe

As our founder and CEO, Andy has passed on a legacy of high-quality craftsmanship from his father before him, who was both a firefighter and painter. Since 2000, Andy has grown RoePaint.com to become an industry leader across Idaho and northern Nevada.

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Which Paint Colors Save the Most on Heating and Cooling?

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