Does dark exterior paint hold and transfer more heat to an uninsulated house?
We are picking exterior paint colors for our stucco house. The interior walls are plaster and there isn’t insulation in the walls.
I want to stay away from dark colors because I think it will make our house hotter(we live in Southern California where it is sunny most of the year).
Is my concern valid?
If I insulate my walls, will I be able to choose dark colors?
insulation painting exterior
|
show 2 more comments
We are picking exterior paint colors for our stucco house. The interior walls are plaster and there isn’t insulation in the walls.
I want to stay away from dark colors because I think it will make our house hotter(we live in Southern California where it is sunny most of the year).
Is my concern valid?
If I insulate my walls, will I be able to choose dark colors?
insulation painting exterior
As someone who works in the construction industry in SoCal, I'd like to say yes, but there's a ton of variables here. Age of house, location, wall material, stucco type, facing directions, tree coverages, etc. If you're in an isolated desert in Blythe, it's different than if you live in Mount Baldy.
– Anoplexian
9 hours ago
1
Just remember that the sun only emit's about 50% of it's power in infrared, and only 40% in visible, so make sure your paint is also reflective in the non-visible bands ag.tennessee.edu/solar/Pages/What%20Is%20Solar%20Energy/…
– Sam
8 hours ago
What color/material is your roof? You're not worried about the walls when you have a dark colored roof right?
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
1
@Sam please post an answer based on that. A blue paint that reflects infrared light is better than a white paint that doesn't. None of the current answers reflect that.
– Kat
8 hours ago
Dark colors don't "hold" more heat. They transmit (absorb and emit) heat faster than lighter colors do. That means a dark-colored house will heat up faster in the day and cool off faster at night.
– Monty Harder
8 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
We are picking exterior paint colors for our stucco house. The interior walls are plaster and there isn’t insulation in the walls.
I want to stay away from dark colors because I think it will make our house hotter(we live in Southern California where it is sunny most of the year).
Is my concern valid?
If I insulate my walls, will I be able to choose dark colors?
insulation painting exterior
We are picking exterior paint colors for our stucco house. The interior walls are plaster and there isn’t insulation in the walls.
I want to stay away from dark colors because I think it will make our house hotter(we live in Southern California where it is sunny most of the year).
Is my concern valid?
If I insulate my walls, will I be able to choose dark colors?
insulation painting exterior
insulation painting exterior
asked 12 hours ago
milesmeowmilesmeow
2,209114473
2,209114473
As someone who works in the construction industry in SoCal, I'd like to say yes, but there's a ton of variables here. Age of house, location, wall material, stucco type, facing directions, tree coverages, etc. If you're in an isolated desert in Blythe, it's different than if you live in Mount Baldy.
– Anoplexian
9 hours ago
1
Just remember that the sun only emit's about 50% of it's power in infrared, and only 40% in visible, so make sure your paint is also reflective in the non-visible bands ag.tennessee.edu/solar/Pages/What%20Is%20Solar%20Energy/…
– Sam
8 hours ago
What color/material is your roof? You're not worried about the walls when you have a dark colored roof right?
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
1
@Sam please post an answer based on that. A blue paint that reflects infrared light is better than a white paint that doesn't. None of the current answers reflect that.
– Kat
8 hours ago
Dark colors don't "hold" more heat. They transmit (absorb and emit) heat faster than lighter colors do. That means a dark-colored house will heat up faster in the day and cool off faster at night.
– Monty Harder
8 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
As someone who works in the construction industry in SoCal, I'd like to say yes, but there's a ton of variables here. Age of house, location, wall material, stucco type, facing directions, tree coverages, etc. If you're in an isolated desert in Blythe, it's different than if you live in Mount Baldy.
– Anoplexian
9 hours ago
1
Just remember that the sun only emit's about 50% of it's power in infrared, and only 40% in visible, so make sure your paint is also reflective in the non-visible bands ag.tennessee.edu/solar/Pages/What%20Is%20Solar%20Energy/…
– Sam
8 hours ago
What color/material is your roof? You're not worried about the walls when you have a dark colored roof right?
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
1
@Sam please post an answer based on that. A blue paint that reflects infrared light is better than a white paint that doesn't. None of the current answers reflect that.
– Kat
8 hours ago
Dark colors don't "hold" more heat. They transmit (absorb and emit) heat faster than lighter colors do. That means a dark-colored house will heat up faster in the day and cool off faster at night.
– Monty Harder
8 hours ago
As someone who works in the construction industry in SoCal, I'd like to say yes, but there's a ton of variables here. Age of house, location, wall material, stucco type, facing directions, tree coverages, etc. If you're in an isolated desert in Blythe, it's different than if you live in Mount Baldy.
– Anoplexian
9 hours ago
As someone who works in the construction industry in SoCal, I'd like to say yes, but there's a ton of variables here. Age of house, location, wall material, stucco type, facing directions, tree coverages, etc. If you're in an isolated desert in Blythe, it's different than if you live in Mount Baldy.
– Anoplexian
9 hours ago
1
1
Just remember that the sun only emit's about 50% of it's power in infrared, and only 40% in visible, so make sure your paint is also reflective in the non-visible bands ag.tennessee.edu/solar/Pages/What%20Is%20Solar%20Energy/…
– Sam
8 hours ago
Just remember that the sun only emit's about 50% of it's power in infrared, and only 40% in visible, so make sure your paint is also reflective in the non-visible bands ag.tennessee.edu/solar/Pages/What%20Is%20Solar%20Energy/…
– Sam
8 hours ago
What color/material is your roof? You're not worried about the walls when you have a dark colored roof right?
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
What color/material is your roof? You're not worried about the walls when you have a dark colored roof right?
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
1
1
@Sam please post an answer based on that. A blue paint that reflects infrared light is better than a white paint that doesn't. None of the current answers reflect that.
– Kat
8 hours ago
@Sam please post an answer based on that. A blue paint that reflects infrared light is better than a white paint that doesn't. None of the current answers reflect that.
– Kat
8 hours ago
Dark colors don't "hold" more heat. They transmit (absorb and emit) heat faster than lighter colors do. That means a dark-colored house will heat up faster in the day and cool off faster at night.
– Monty Harder
8 hours ago
Dark colors don't "hold" more heat. They transmit (absorb and emit) heat faster than lighter colors do. That means a dark-colored house will heat up faster in the day and cool off faster at night.
– Monty Harder
8 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
A darker color absorbs more heat so yes it will heat the home more during the day. Your concern is valid. White is the least absorbent color and black is the most absorbent color.
Many dark colors also fade more quickly in the sun as well.
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
add a comment |
If you insulate your walls, you will thus be warmer during the summer and winter, and a black exterior would absorb sunlight and warm your house lightly. A white paint would reflect light and keep the outside of your house cooler.
New contributor
I think you meant cooler in summer, but yeah.
– isherwood
10 hours ago
I’ll definitely check it out.
– milesmeow
4 hours ago
add a comment |
Yes. Every paint has a reflectivity - the cosmological term for the same thing is albedo. This is a hard number, and the paint manufacturer can tell you what it is. It will be a percentage; for instance my favorite gloss white has a 91% reflectivity or albedo.
All the rest is absorbed. There is no magic where some of the absorbed energy is radiated, that would be part of the albedo!
Solarization is about 1000 watts per square meter square-on with the sun. Figure for the total exposure area, factored for the angle to the sun (which changes). Figure the hours of exposure. Multiply that by your paint's reflectivity and that will be your house's solar gain.
add a comment |
If you really want a dark color you can add ceramic beads to the paint which will reflect infrared heat away. e.g.: insuladd I want to do this next time I paint (SoCal also) even if I use a light color paint.
Here's an article on BobVila.com with more information.
add a comment |
It does not matter much. Yes, a dark color absorbs more heat, but it also radiates more away. It would become hotter faster during day but cool down much faster at night. A white surface absorbs less but radiates less. I would go for a white color because in direct sunlight the surface temperature of a black surface can become scalding hot, which is not fun if you accidentally lean on it or have kids around.
This is pretty obviously wrong. The idea seems correct, but go touch a black surface on 100 degree day vs a white surface which is hotter?
– Sam
4 hours ago
@Sam I suppose that most of the heat (absorbed from the outside trough radiation and on warm days through convection, and generated within) is convected away, not radiated away, so that the color is secondary for getting rid of excess heat. It is important for the fraction of the solar radiation the house absorbs though. The sun's radiation transports more energy than the house's because the sun is much hotter.
– Peter A. Schneider
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
A darker color absorbs more heat so yes it will heat the home more during the day. Your concern is valid. White is the least absorbent color and black is the most absorbent color.
Many dark colors also fade more quickly in the sun as well.
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
add a comment |
A darker color absorbs more heat so yes it will heat the home more during the day. Your concern is valid. White is the least absorbent color and black is the most absorbent color.
Many dark colors also fade more quickly in the sun as well.
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
add a comment |
A darker color absorbs more heat so yes it will heat the home more during the day. Your concern is valid. White is the least absorbent color and black is the most absorbent color.
A darker color absorbs more heat so yes it will heat the home more during the day. Your concern is valid. White is the least absorbent color and black is the most absorbent color.
answered 11 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
32.7k12145
32.7k12145
Many dark colors also fade more quickly in the sun as well.
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
add a comment |
Many dark colors also fade more quickly in the sun as well.
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
Many dark colors also fade more quickly in the sun as well.
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
Many dark colors also fade more quickly in the sun as well.
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
add a comment |
If you insulate your walls, you will thus be warmer during the summer and winter, and a black exterior would absorb sunlight and warm your house lightly. A white paint would reflect light and keep the outside of your house cooler.
New contributor
I think you meant cooler in summer, but yeah.
– isherwood
10 hours ago
I’ll definitely check it out.
– milesmeow
4 hours ago
add a comment |
If you insulate your walls, you will thus be warmer during the summer and winter, and a black exterior would absorb sunlight and warm your house lightly. A white paint would reflect light and keep the outside of your house cooler.
New contributor
I think you meant cooler in summer, but yeah.
– isherwood
10 hours ago
I’ll definitely check it out.
– milesmeow
4 hours ago
add a comment |
If you insulate your walls, you will thus be warmer during the summer and winter, and a black exterior would absorb sunlight and warm your house lightly. A white paint would reflect light and keep the outside of your house cooler.
New contributor
If you insulate your walls, you will thus be warmer during the summer and winter, and a black exterior would absorb sunlight and warm your house lightly. A white paint would reflect light and keep the outside of your house cooler.
New contributor
New contributor
answered 11 hours ago
Ethan SlotaEthan Slota
311
311
New contributor
New contributor
I think you meant cooler in summer, but yeah.
– isherwood
10 hours ago
I’ll definitely check it out.
– milesmeow
4 hours ago
add a comment |
I think you meant cooler in summer, but yeah.
– isherwood
10 hours ago
I’ll definitely check it out.
– milesmeow
4 hours ago
I think you meant cooler in summer, but yeah.
– isherwood
10 hours ago
I think you meant cooler in summer, but yeah.
– isherwood
10 hours ago
I’ll definitely check it out.
– milesmeow
4 hours ago
I’ll definitely check it out.
– milesmeow
4 hours ago
add a comment |
Yes. Every paint has a reflectivity - the cosmological term for the same thing is albedo. This is a hard number, and the paint manufacturer can tell you what it is. It will be a percentage; for instance my favorite gloss white has a 91% reflectivity or albedo.
All the rest is absorbed. There is no magic where some of the absorbed energy is radiated, that would be part of the albedo!
Solarization is about 1000 watts per square meter square-on with the sun. Figure for the total exposure area, factored for the angle to the sun (which changes). Figure the hours of exposure. Multiply that by your paint's reflectivity and that will be your house's solar gain.
add a comment |
Yes. Every paint has a reflectivity - the cosmological term for the same thing is albedo. This is a hard number, and the paint manufacturer can tell you what it is. It will be a percentage; for instance my favorite gloss white has a 91% reflectivity or albedo.
All the rest is absorbed. There is no magic where some of the absorbed energy is radiated, that would be part of the albedo!
Solarization is about 1000 watts per square meter square-on with the sun. Figure for the total exposure area, factored for the angle to the sun (which changes). Figure the hours of exposure. Multiply that by your paint's reflectivity and that will be your house's solar gain.
add a comment |
Yes. Every paint has a reflectivity - the cosmological term for the same thing is albedo. This is a hard number, and the paint manufacturer can tell you what it is. It will be a percentage; for instance my favorite gloss white has a 91% reflectivity or albedo.
All the rest is absorbed. There is no magic where some of the absorbed energy is radiated, that would be part of the albedo!
Solarization is about 1000 watts per square meter square-on with the sun. Figure for the total exposure area, factored for the angle to the sun (which changes). Figure the hours of exposure. Multiply that by your paint's reflectivity and that will be your house's solar gain.
Yes. Every paint has a reflectivity - the cosmological term for the same thing is albedo. This is a hard number, and the paint manufacturer can tell you what it is. It will be a percentage; for instance my favorite gloss white has a 91% reflectivity or albedo.
All the rest is absorbed. There is no magic where some of the absorbed energy is radiated, that would be part of the albedo!
Solarization is about 1000 watts per square meter square-on with the sun. Figure for the total exposure area, factored for the angle to the sun (which changes). Figure the hours of exposure. Multiply that by your paint's reflectivity and that will be your house's solar gain.
answered 6 hours ago
HarperHarper
69.8k346141
69.8k346141
add a comment |
add a comment |
If you really want a dark color you can add ceramic beads to the paint which will reflect infrared heat away. e.g.: insuladd I want to do this next time I paint (SoCal also) even if I use a light color paint.
Here's an article on BobVila.com with more information.
add a comment |
If you really want a dark color you can add ceramic beads to the paint which will reflect infrared heat away. e.g.: insuladd I want to do this next time I paint (SoCal also) even if I use a light color paint.
Here's an article on BobVila.com with more information.
add a comment |
If you really want a dark color you can add ceramic beads to the paint which will reflect infrared heat away. e.g.: insuladd I want to do this next time I paint (SoCal also) even if I use a light color paint.
Here's an article on BobVila.com with more information.
If you really want a dark color you can add ceramic beads to the paint which will reflect infrared heat away. e.g.: insuladd I want to do this next time I paint (SoCal also) even if I use a light color paint.
Here's an article on BobVila.com with more information.
answered 4 hours ago
ArluinArluin
66437
66437
add a comment |
add a comment |
It does not matter much. Yes, a dark color absorbs more heat, but it also radiates more away. It would become hotter faster during day but cool down much faster at night. A white surface absorbs less but radiates less. I would go for a white color because in direct sunlight the surface temperature of a black surface can become scalding hot, which is not fun if you accidentally lean on it or have kids around.
This is pretty obviously wrong. The idea seems correct, but go touch a black surface on 100 degree day vs a white surface which is hotter?
– Sam
4 hours ago
@Sam I suppose that most of the heat (absorbed from the outside trough radiation and on warm days through convection, and generated within) is convected away, not radiated away, so that the color is secondary for getting rid of excess heat. It is important for the fraction of the solar radiation the house absorbs though. The sun's radiation transports more energy than the house's because the sun is much hotter.
– Peter A. Schneider
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It does not matter much. Yes, a dark color absorbs more heat, but it also radiates more away. It would become hotter faster during day but cool down much faster at night. A white surface absorbs less but radiates less. I would go for a white color because in direct sunlight the surface temperature of a black surface can become scalding hot, which is not fun if you accidentally lean on it or have kids around.
This is pretty obviously wrong. The idea seems correct, but go touch a black surface on 100 degree day vs a white surface which is hotter?
– Sam
4 hours ago
@Sam I suppose that most of the heat (absorbed from the outside trough radiation and on warm days through convection, and generated within) is convected away, not radiated away, so that the color is secondary for getting rid of excess heat. It is important for the fraction of the solar radiation the house absorbs though. The sun's radiation transports more energy than the house's because the sun is much hotter.
– Peter A. Schneider
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It does not matter much. Yes, a dark color absorbs more heat, but it also radiates more away. It would become hotter faster during day but cool down much faster at night. A white surface absorbs less but radiates less. I would go for a white color because in direct sunlight the surface temperature of a black surface can become scalding hot, which is not fun if you accidentally lean on it or have kids around.
It does not matter much. Yes, a dark color absorbs more heat, but it also radiates more away. It would become hotter faster during day but cool down much faster at night. A white surface absorbs less but radiates less. I would go for a white color because in direct sunlight the surface temperature of a black surface can become scalding hot, which is not fun if you accidentally lean on it or have kids around.
answered 8 hours ago
Stian YttervikStian Yttervik
1307
1307
This is pretty obviously wrong. The idea seems correct, but go touch a black surface on 100 degree day vs a white surface which is hotter?
– Sam
4 hours ago
@Sam I suppose that most of the heat (absorbed from the outside trough radiation and on warm days through convection, and generated within) is convected away, not radiated away, so that the color is secondary for getting rid of excess heat. It is important for the fraction of the solar radiation the house absorbs though. The sun's radiation transports more energy than the house's because the sun is much hotter.
– Peter A. Schneider
1 hour ago
add a comment |
This is pretty obviously wrong. The idea seems correct, but go touch a black surface on 100 degree day vs a white surface which is hotter?
– Sam
4 hours ago
@Sam I suppose that most of the heat (absorbed from the outside trough radiation and on warm days through convection, and generated within) is convected away, not radiated away, so that the color is secondary for getting rid of excess heat. It is important for the fraction of the solar radiation the house absorbs though. The sun's radiation transports more energy than the house's because the sun is much hotter.
– Peter A. Schneider
1 hour ago
This is pretty obviously wrong. The idea seems correct, but go touch a black surface on 100 degree day vs a white surface which is hotter?
– Sam
4 hours ago
This is pretty obviously wrong. The idea seems correct, but go touch a black surface on 100 degree day vs a white surface which is hotter?
– Sam
4 hours ago
@Sam I suppose that most of the heat (absorbed from the outside trough radiation and on warm days through convection, and generated within) is convected away, not radiated away, so that the color is secondary for getting rid of excess heat. It is important for the fraction of the solar radiation the house absorbs though. The sun's radiation transports more energy than the house's because the sun is much hotter.
– Peter A. Schneider
1 hour ago
@Sam I suppose that most of the heat (absorbed from the outside trough radiation and on warm days through convection, and generated within) is convected away, not radiated away, so that the color is secondary for getting rid of excess heat. It is important for the fraction of the solar radiation the house absorbs though. The sun's radiation transports more energy than the house's because the sun is much hotter.
– Peter A. Schneider
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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As someone who works in the construction industry in SoCal, I'd like to say yes, but there's a ton of variables here. Age of house, location, wall material, stucco type, facing directions, tree coverages, etc. If you're in an isolated desert in Blythe, it's different than if you live in Mount Baldy.
– Anoplexian
9 hours ago
1
Just remember that the sun only emit's about 50% of it's power in infrared, and only 40% in visible, so make sure your paint is also reflective in the non-visible bands ag.tennessee.edu/solar/Pages/What%20Is%20Solar%20Energy/…
– Sam
8 hours ago
What color/material is your roof? You're not worried about the walls when you have a dark colored roof right?
– JPhi1618
8 hours ago
1
@Sam please post an answer based on that. A blue paint that reflects infrared light is better than a white paint that doesn't. None of the current answers reflect that.
– Kat
8 hours ago
Dark colors don't "hold" more heat. They transmit (absorb and emit) heat faster than lighter colors do. That means a dark-colored house will heat up faster in the day and cool off faster at night.
– Monty Harder
8 hours ago