Does white roof paint really cut down on heat absorption?

[boilerfrustration]

I have a property situated in a loft. During the winter, the flat is very cold and during the summer very hot.

The roof which is flat already has a coat of silvery paint which has worn out over the years. I've read online that white paint is ideal for reflecting the heat during summer. Is this true?

 

[^woody^]

As it will be nice over this weekend, stand outside for five minutes with a black and then a white hat (or shirt) on, and see which feels cooler

However, silver (or rather aluminium) paint is better than white for roofs

 

[mointainwalker]

It is not ideal, but is better.