The color of your roof doesn’t just affect aesthetics. While you might want a roof that looks nice, your roof’s color does affect your energy bills. You don’t want to choose a color you dislike, and you don’t want to choose a color that makes your home hotter. How much of an impact does color really have on your energy cost, though?
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Appearance and Energy Costs Impacts of Roof Colors
You might already know some basic information about colors and energy, like the fact that brighter and lighter colors tend to reflect away light and heat.
On the other hand, darker colors like black will absorb more heat. If your roof is black, you might notice that your home heats up faster and remains hotter up until the evening when it loses heat more quickly.
Dark or Light Shingles
When it comes to your energy costs, light shingles really are better—they’re actually known for their ability to save energy. They will not absorb as much heat as dark shingles, although you might wonder whether you should pick dark shingles instead in colder climates.
It’s true that darker roofs in colder places can help melt the snow and ice more efficiently. If you live in a place that has snow and ice quite often throughout the year, you might notice a difference.
Light shingles will work better to keep your attic and rooms cooler during the warmer months, reducing your electric bill for air conditioning.
Reflective Shingles
In addition to the color of your roof, you should consider purchasing reflective roof shingles. These are made specifically to absorb less heat while bouncing it off back into the atmosphere. This can create a cooling effect for the home.
Consider shingles that are specifically made to cool, such as Energy Star roofing. These types of shingles will automatically absorb less heat from the sunlight, although the color of the shingles will still matter.
Type of Shingles
While color does matter, the material of your shingles will also impact both your appearance and energy costs. Shake and asphalt are two of the most popular energy-efficient options.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Roof Color
Even though you want to pick the best option for your energy bills, you still need to consider a few other factors before just choosing a light color.
Home Color
Ultimately, you’ll want your roof to match the rest of your home. Especially if you plan to sell your home at some point, you’ll want to have a roof that blends in nicely aesthetically.
House Size
Because dark roofs tend to stand out more than lighter ones, you will want to avoid dark roofs on houses that just don’t suit well. Don’t put very dark tiles on a small house that just doesn’t work with it; pay attention to the overall aesthetic of your home.
Environment
You’ll want to think about where you live when you’re choosing your roof color. It’s not always about picking light colors to save on energy costs. Certain roof colors will match better with certain areas, not to mention that colder places may be better with darker roofs while hotter places may work better with lighter ones.
Conclusion
There’s a lot that goes into choosing a color for your roof. Beyond aesthetics, you’ll want to ensure that you choose a color that fits in with your home and that can potentially save you some money with increased energy efficiency too. Think about what will work best for your home and try to work out a good balance.