Consult with your state, local, or regional planning department about whether a radiant barrier is a good investment in your climate. If you live in a hot climate, and have a home that was not built with radiant barrier sheathing, installing a radiant barrier in your attic will likely lead to noticeable energy savings.
It can also be a DIY project. Avoid the scams and misinformation! Call us at for expert advice! Yes, take me to the distributors page. What is a radiant barrier? Is a radiant barrier worth it? Here are some situations where a radiant barrier might benefit you most: Your attic is poorly insulated.
Your roof gets direct sunlight. There is ductwork in your attic. So, is radiant barrier worth it? In San Diego and Orange County, absolutely. When installed properly and in the right regional context, a radiant barrier will pay for itself….
In the hottest areas, those energy savings can be even greater. These energy savings benefits do not apply to the entirety of the United States, contributing to a discourse of whether radiant barriers are worth it.
If you are debating this for yourself, consider these following questions:. Radiant heat moves through the surface of your roof deck to heat up your attic, entering your home and spiking cooling costs. Sunlight is one of the silent means that heat enters your home. Anyone who has opened the door to a vehicle and watched heat pour out knows that thanks to sunlight, enclosed spaces like cars can become small furnaces in the dog days of summer.
They don't, however, reduce heat conduction like thermal insulation materials. Heat travels from a warm area to a cool area by a combination of conduction, convection, and radiation. Heat flows by conduction from a hotter location within a material or assembly to a colder location, like the way a spoon placed in a hot cup of coffee conducts heat through its handle to your hand.
Heat transfer by convection occurs when a liquid or gas -- air, for example -- is heated, becomes less dense, and rises. As the liquid or gas cools, it becomes denser and falls. Radiant heat travels in a straight line away from any surface and heats anything solid that absorbs its energy.
Most common insulation materials work by slowing conductive heat flow and -- to a lesser extent -- convective heat flow. Radiant barriers and reflective insulation systems work by reducing radiant heat gain. To be effective, the reflective surface must face an air space.
Dust accumulation on the reflective surface will reduce its reflective capability. Read More Internet is down! Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Pinterest.
Do radiant barriers really make a difference? Energy Solutions February Convection is air movement from hot to cold. This happens through openings in your home, like doors, windows, vents and air leaks. Conduction is heat traveling through a solid material, such as the sheetrock and framing of your home.
This can be minimized by insulation. Radiant heat loss is a transfer of heat from the sun, or when a warmer material transmits infrared radiation to a colder material. Radiant barriers are designed to reflect this type of heat loss. Radiant barriers often look like aluminum foil.
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