At Whipple Service Champions, energy efficiency is one of our specialties. From basic HVAC repair and tune-ups to various heating and air conditioner services, we’re always striving to help keep you and your family comfortable without a major expense on your utility bill every month.
Here’s one factor in energy efficiency, that many homeowners aren’t aware of at all: Paint colors within the home, especially in rooms that get lots of sunlight. Which kinds of colors are best for energy efficiency? Let’s take a look at a few important factors here.
Dark is More Absorbent
In general, darker colors are far more absorbent of energy and heat than lighter colors. Most darks absorb anywhere between 70 to 90 percent of all radiant energy – this means they’ll stay warmer for longer periods of time once heat has been introduced to them.
On the flip side, light colors tend to reflect heat. For the homeowner who wants to maximize every ounce of summer energy efficiency, sticking with light colors is the way to go.
Dark as Accents
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to solely choose light colors throughout your home. Firstly, rooms that have few or no windows and don’t connect to the outside of the home are perfect for dark paint, as they won’t see much sunlight.
In addition, even in rooms that do have heat risks, you can do a lot of creative mixing and matching. Darker, bolder colors go well as accents or contrasts to lighter overall patterns, so this is a great way to introduce them. On top of this, you can make smart moves like leaving lights off during the day and using fans to keep high-heat rooms a bit cooler.
Other Factors
Another reason why many homeowners choose lighter colors is the way they make rooms feel larger – darker tones, on the other hand, make rooms feel slightly smaller. Yet another big draw of lighter colors here is resale value: Real estate agents and potential buyers are far more likely to look favorably on lighter shaded rooms where they can clearly see everything.
For more on how paint color affects your energy efficiency, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the pros at Whipple Service Champions today.
