The most common way of installing a radiant barrier is to use roof sheathing that has a radiant barrier bonded to it in the factory. Bubble foil insulation adds a layer of insulating air to the radiant barrier provided by the foil. This product, like sheet foil, should be installed with the foil side facing the metal roofing, but there is one qualifier. Regardless of whether fiberglass insulation is installed in a wall, attic, or crawlspace; the paper facing should always face toward the inside of the home.
When properly installed, the use of radiant barriers with proper venting should not cause any damage to the roofing materials and will not void the warranty, since shingle warranties cover defects in manufacturing, not installation. Air gaps larger than this work well too — they promote ventilation on the foil and help keep the air dry and the air temps lower. Insulation is technically a solid with a lot of air in it therefore, it is NOT an air gap. Cut AP Foil-Faced foam sheathing to fit snuggly between the rafters, and install against the baffles.
Properly cut boards should friction-fit between the rafters without falling out. Secure insulation boards and seal all board edges using one-part canned foam. Proper installation of a radiant barrier is essential to ensure it performs as advertised. Therefore, an issue in any one of those departments negatively impacts radiant barrier performance.
In our post, How to Prepare for Attic Insulation , we discuss completing any necessary roof repairs and ensuring your home is properly air sealed and ventilated. If your roof is ten years old or more, this is a great time to schedule a professional roof inspection. Making the necessary updates and repairs on the roof and ensuring its well-ventilated supports and protects your attic improvement investments. Would you like to learn more about radiant barriers or determine whether a radiant barrier installation is worth it for your Bay Area home?
Contact us here at Attic Solutions , , and schedule a consultation. Department of Energy : When the sun heats a roof, it's primarily the sun's radiant energy that makes the roof hot. How Much Will We Save? So I wondered if I would be able to reduce ambient temperatures to a point where the attic was not such a hostile environment for my ductwork. Does a radiant barrier reduce attic temperatures? Reduced temperature of insulation results in less heat transfer into the conditioned space of the home source.
The study found that the greatest benefit to attic temperatures would be experienced in the south as well as the southeastern regions of the U. As a result, these areas would also be the most likely to realize the highest benefit in energy savings.
Oak Ridge National Laboratories also noted that radiant barrier applications stand to reduce the difference between attic temperatures and the conditioned air carried by ducting systems in an attic. They theorize that this reduction in temperature differences would result in more efficient cooling as the HVAC system would be able to deliver conditioned air at closer to its intended temperature source. If you live in a colder climate, you may wonder if there is any benefit to installing a radiant barrier in your attic.
I was surprised to learn that there are in fact energy saving benefits for northern states. Does a radiant barrier work in winter? By reducing heat transfer from the living space into an unconditioned attic, a properly installed radaint barrier can complement the energy-saving efforts of traditional insulation. I ran across multiple studies during my research that found deductions in heat transfer from the conditioned space, especially when the radiant barrier was layed across the attic floor over the insulation instead of being stapled to the rafters.
To avoid condensation issues, a perforated radiant barrier may be the best choice for this application. This YouTube video was posted by a gentlemen in New England. He gives his first-hand experience of the benefits that he has seen from radiant barrier installed on the attic floor in a cold climate. There is evidence that supports a theory that if dust settles on a radiant barrier foil it can lose its effectiveness as the reflectivity is reduced source.
However, this study noted that the reduction, if any, was insignificant. There seems to be a polarized standpoint on this issue with supporters on each side standing their ground. In fact, these are almost word for word quotes from contractors that I spoke with when building my house. I heard both extremes of this. I researched it extensively and found multiple studies supporting both sides of the argument.
One particular study that was referenced multiple times online in the argument against radiant barrier was this one which noted a decrease in the performance of the radiant barrier when covered in dust.
The problem is, I get the feeling no one has actually read the whole paper. In fact, the study specifically concludes that radiant barriers covered in dust continue to be effective in reducing attic heat transfers and house cooling loads. Does Radiant Barrier lose its effectiveness as dust collects on it? Like every other part of your home, the efficiency of a radiant barrier may degrade somewhat over time.
Yet even with that degradation , it provides more efficiency than not having it. The effectiveness of your insulation, shingles, and even your slab may degrade some over time too, but I would still recommend having them. Scientific variables aside, research has proven that the inclusion of a radiant barrier provides additional heat transfer reduction in a comprehensive thermal envelope.
It is not meant to be a replacement for fiberglass or cellulose insulation. It is intended to complement those traditional insulation methods by reducing the amount of radiant heat transferred to your conditioned living space.
As this report has shown, the impact of a radiant barrier on your energy bills will dependant on several factors including the type of radiant barrier used, installation method, and climate. But regardless of the percentage of savings that any particular installation may experience, there is one commonality throughout all of the studies that we need to take away from this:.
Every independent study demonstrated some level of heat transfer reduction when a radiant barrier was installed. We can argue over the percentage of heat reduction and tests varied depending on the installation method and climate, but none of the studies reviewed demonstrated either no heat transfer reduction or an increase in heat transfer reduction.
The bottom line: a radiant barrier is a viable addition to your thermal envelope. We will test each sample for durability, flammability, and even perform a thermal imaging test to validate heat transfer reduction. Workers arrived exactly on time, were very professional, set up plastic and papered floor so nothing would damage my home.
Explained every step that they were going to do, and then showed at the end of the work, that it was done. They did a number on our insulation and the ducting for our HVAC system. The exterminator could do nothing other than take care of the pests.
The HVAC guys didn't do insulation In addition, the HVAC company we called gave us a ridiculous quote They went above and beyond and I would recommend them to anyone. Radiant Barrier Service by Attic Guys. Free Estimate Corey - Attic Cleaning Tech. Attic Cleaning Service. Make your attic yours again.
Call Who you gonna call? Attic Guys. Attic Insulation Removal Service. Matt - Attic Cleaning Tech. Energy-Efficiency We can help protect your Attic. Fall in love with our Radiant Barrier Service. Attic Cleaning Once the insulation has been removed, or if there was no insulation to begin with, we will vacuum the floor of the entire attic using a HP Commercial Vacuum.
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