The roofing materials currently available from professional roofing contractors offer homeowners an enormous selection of colors and shades to complement any color scheme.

Regardless of all of these choices, experienced roofing services must point out the pros and cons of different colors, especially as they affect energy efficiency.

Whether interested in a classic, sharp black roof or a cheerful red or gold one, roofing companies recommend that their customers understand color theory as it relates to heat absorption to make the best roofing choice!

How Do Heat-Absorbing Properties Change With Color?

Scientific evidence has long proven that darker materials absorb more light energy than lighter ones, which reflect more of that energy.

These properties exist in every material, including roofing materials, affecting how heat energy is absorbed or reflected based on its color.

Based on the heat-absorbing properties of different roofing materials, roofing services can help homeowners choose the best materials and colors for their homes for greater energy efficiency.

How Does Roofing Color Affect Home Energy Efficiency?

Because light is absorbable heat energy, roofing contractors see the thermal reaction of heat absorption affecting colored roofing materials to different degrees.

Lighter-colored materials have higher solar reflectance, reducing the amount of heat absorption they experience, which ultimately prevents the passage of heat through the materials and into the home.

Conversely, darker materials have a much lower degree of solar reflectance and instead absorb more heat energy, allowing it to pass through them and into the home.

Ultimately, roofers find that as crisp and sharp as a black roof can look on a bright, white house, those materials will be energy inefficient in hot climates, causing higher utility bills due to a greater need to run interior air conditioning.

The same house with a light gray installation will be less affected by thermal energy, stay cooler on its own, and have lower energy bills.

What Other Factors Affect Roof Energy Efficiency?

While it is true that roofing services might recommend a lighter-colored roof for homeowners hoping to benefit from higher energy efficiency, other factors can affect it as well.

Homeowners who prefer the aesthetic look of a black or dark installation should consider these other details to find ways to circumvent the issue of heat absorption due to their roof’s darker colors:

Roofing Materials - Some materials are naturally more heat-reflective than others. Metal is one of the most highly reflective materials, while ceramic, concrete, and slate tile may absorb heat but do not release it downward into the home. Roofing contractors might recommend all three materials for a more energy-efficient roofing solution. Asphalt shingles and synthetic materials tend to absorb and transfer more heat energy.
Roof Design - The flatter a roof is, the more direct sunlight it will receive. Pitched roofs experience lower exposure to UV light at different times of the day.
Insulation - An attic that is well insulated with high-quality insulation will experience a reduction in heat energy passing through the attic floor and into the home.
Ventilation - Along with high-quality insulation, roofing companies also stress the importance of proper ventilation, which can keep the attic space cool enough regardless of the color of the external materials, protecting energy efficiency.

Plan an Efficient Roof with A Knowledgeable Roofing Contractor

To summarize, roofing contractors understand that darker-colored materials can reduce the energy efficiency of a roof while lighter-colored materials can improve it.

That said, an experienced roofing service will know different ways to preserve or improve efficiency when a darker roof color is preferred.

Work with an experienced roofing company that will weigh all related factors to help homeowners benefit from greater roofing energy efficiency!