How Dirt Free Exteriors Reduce Unwanted Heat

You may not realize that the color of the paint and materials covering your property can affect the amount of heat it retains. Surfaces that require pressure washing, like your deck, home, and other structures, can retain heat more easily if the paint is darker. Even the dirt itself contributes to these issues - mold, mildew, direct, and grime that is stuck on your exterior surfaces can retain heat just like dark color paint does. Aside from potentially contributing to your energy spending, heat can also cause wear and tear on your structures and exterior finishes.

The Science Behind Colors And Heat

When it comes to colors, there are certain ones that reflect sunlight more easily than others. When you have dark paint, it is essentially a combination of all the colors and won't bounce back. The reason we see certain colors is because whatever color we see is actually being reflected off of an object.

For instance, when you look at a red apple, the rest of the colors are absorbed by that apple while only red is being reflected into your eye. When you see white, that is all the colors reflecting off and going into your eye, when you see black, all of the colors are being absorbed.

Because of this, black not only absorbs the light from the sun but the heat as well. That's why darker surfaces tend to be hotter to walk on during a hot day than lighter surfaces.

Why Is Heat A Problem?

While this absorption may be useful when trying to retain heat, it can cause problems if it's not desired. For one, during hotter days, the darker paints will heat up the exterior of your home which in turn can leech into your home. If you are putting on the AC, this can result in pretty costly bills when trying to cool your home.

Plus if you have an outside area painted black, it may not be as pleasant to use if you feel heat constantly radiating from the wood. Again, in colder or more mild climates, this absorption isn't necessarily bad, it even may be preferred, but if you want to avoid the heat, it may be better to consider choosing lighter colors.

How Heat Can Damage Your Property

Another issue with your property heating up too much is the damage that can be caused by overheating. When a structure gets too hot, it can wear down the surface making it more prone to chipping, flaking, or other forms of damage.

It also isn't good to let your home essential cook like that as it can risk overheating in certain conditions which can lead to the occupants suffering health problems. It is also possible that if a structure gets too hot, the heat can cause warping, especially with wood.

So Should I Just Cover My Property In White Paint?

That being said, it won't always be a good idea to use white paint just to make sure your house doesn't overheat. Depending on where your house is situated, the white paint may be too bright to look at directly.

The best solution to avoid unnecessary heat retention is two-fold. First - choose a light, but off-white color for your exteriors where possible. Second - keep your home's exterior surface properly cleaned with our exterior washing services to keep heat retaining stains and discoloration at bay. Something that will repel the majority of the heat without reflecting too much light. You can ensure that your paint lasts a long time by regularly pressure washing its surfaces such as with a deck washing or a house washing.