Does Painting Roof White Save Energy?

Hi Farhan, I came across your query where you were asking does painting roof white reduce heat. So, I can share from my experience that yes, it does. 

Light colours always help reduce heat absorption, ultimately reducing the temperature of your roof. Apart from this, there are several other benefits of painting the roof white. Let me share those.

Does Painting Your Roof White Help?

The white paint acts as a good way of reducing the overall temperature. This will work best if you live in a hot climate rather than a cold one. Painting your roof with white has some added benefits like:

1. Your indoor spaces feel more comfortable. 

2. The decreasing temperature of the roof can help in increasing its life.

3. With a cool house interior, your electricity needs will be reduced. This, in turn, will help reduce energy costs.

So, this is all I know about white roof paint energy savings. I hope this helps you.

I had heard since my childhood that white roof paint reflects sunlight and lowers the temperature inside. Recently I read some news in this context. I will tell you about it.

Does painting roof white save energy?

In Ahmedabad City, where summertime temperatures often approach 50C, a test experiment was started. In 2017, white lime paint and a unique reflective coating were applied to more than 3,000 city rooftops. This procedure, also referred to as "cool roofing," was aimed to lessen the amount of solar radiation that is absorbed inside the building.

• Additionally cooling a structure, cool roofs release part of the heat that a building would typically retain. Reflective roof coverings "can help bring roof temperatures down by as much as 30C and reduce indoor temperatures by three to seven degrees," according to the planning document for the Gujarat project.

• Compared to standard roofs, cool roofs may help keep indoor temperatures down by 2 to 5 degrees Celsius depending on the environment.

• Using a cool roof coating membrane, another pilot in Hyderabad, discovered that indoor air temperatures were reduced by an average of 2C.

• Regarding the notion that the temperature of the rooftop itself will drop by 30 degrees, it was discovered that a white roof will stay about 31C cooler on a summer afternoon if it reflects 80% of sunlight.

Do white roofs save energy?

On whether painting your roof white will result in energy and financial savings, there are differing views. White roofs reflect heat and keep homes cool in the summer, but they raise heating costs in the winter, which is not good for homes in cold areas. Consequently, energy-producing solar panels are the better choice. 

Globally, there is growing evidence in favour of white roofs. According to Keith Oleson of the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, painting all of the main cities' roofs white would increase their reflectivity and reduce the urban heat island effect by a third. As a result, white roof paint is more advantageous in warmer areas and should be taken into account while making your choice.