The Lighter the Roof, the Lower the Bills?
Of course most of us know that a white car is cooler in the summer than a black one, white clothes are cooler than black, etc. But I personally had never thought of this in terms of roof colors!
Next time you look to replace your roof (oh you know, about every 3-5 years here in Hail-land!), consider lightening the color and see how your bills react! I'm going to give it a go, next time my dark green roof gets a wallop!
~Sheree
Via
Robin Scott - Broker CRS ABR SRS Austin Texas REALTOR® (Amelia Bullock Realtors):
Have you ever given much thought about the color of your roof? I remember the first time I chose a roof color, It made no difference to me because I had never really paid any attention to how a roof looked. I advanced to understanding the esthetics of a roof color and now have an ecological and economic perspective as well.
At one time my nieghbor and I would compare electric bills (air conditioning being the biggest draw on our electric energy) because they seemed high to us, but mine was always higher than hers and she had a bigger house and more kids going in and out the door. The only conclusion we could draw from that was that her roof was a much lighter color.
The Secretary of Energy and nobel prize winning physicist Steven Chu said that painting all the roofs of all the buildings in the world white would significantly reduce global warming.
When my roof was damaged by hail and I had an opportunity to replace it, I chose a light color. Not white, but light tan. The roof went on at the end of July and with August temperatures in the 100's every day, I was concerned about my how my need for air conditioning would effect my electric bill. Surprise! My bill was $30 less than the previous month. Yes, $30 less.
Some neighborhood associations have restrictions about the kind and color of roof you may use so check with them before replacing your roof. If your HOA's choice is not energy efficient, it may be a good time to attend HOA meetings and lobby for change.
Keep cool and if you are planning to buy or sell a house, I want to be your REALTOR. If you don't live in the Austin area, I can find a reputable REALTOR for you in your area.
Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
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Interesting - I had not heard about this before. I'll have to look into it more when I replace mine.