Christian Construction provides residential and commercial painting services for properties both large and small. We can help you select the paint that is right for your property, whether you want something more traditional or a color that has never been done before. Paint comes in potentially thousands of colors, and in theory you could even paint your property any color – even neon pink.
But there are a lot of considerations you will need to make before choosing a paint color, from how easy it is to clean to how much it is going to anger your HOA. One consideration you will want to make is related to energy efficiency, and the effects of dark colors and light colors on the temperature of your home.
The Connection Between Painting and Light
As house painters, two of the most popular color requests we receive for exterior painting are white paint and black (or very dark) paint. These are not the only colors or the most common, but white and black are two incredibly popular paint colors that make for some striking housing.
These two colors, however, also have very different reactions to light, sun, and heat. White paint reflects light. On hot days with the sun out, the light is reflected back out, which keeps it cooler inside of your home and reduces the amount of energy your AC uses.
Black paint absorbs light. On hot days, this can make your property as much as 35% hotter than white paint, which requires a lot more energy usage and may be much less comfortable. But on cold days, that extra light absorption can theoretically make your home a bit warmer – although the shorter days means that that warmth may only be for a few hours during the day.
Overall, when it comes to your energy bills and your comfort, white paint is more likely to provide you with a better experience than black paint.
Are There Advantages to Black Paint for Comfort or Energy?
Homes with gas powered heating sometimes find that the winter is more expensive than the summer (especially if you have solar), since gas bills can be extremely high during the cold winter months. With these homes, black paint can actually save money. In addition, homes without much sun exposure are unlikely to experience much of a difference either way.
Ultimately, the choice for white paint, black paint, dark paint, or light paint is going to be mostly about personal preference. But there are differences. Contact our house painters in Staten Island today to learn more about our painting services, or to get help with color choices.
