Traditional insulation does a decent job with the first two but is not designed to address radiation. There are three types of heat transfer convection, conduction, and radiation. You can also purchaseĮach offers its advantages and challenges which we will explore in the next section. There are radiant barrier paints, foil backed OSB or plywood (I’ll refer to these collectively as foil backed sheathing throughout this article), and fail that comes in rolls and can be installed as free-hanging barriers on the underside of your roofing from inside the attic. This home efficiency option is available in several forms. A radiant barrier blocks the third type of heat transfer: radiant heat.Ĭonsidering the large square footage of attic space in the average house and a roof’s exposure to direct sunlight, an attic is a significant source of heat transfer into the conditioned space of a home ( source).īy installing a radiant barrier on the underside of your roof, it is meant to reduce the heat gain in the attic which in turn reduces heat in the living space of your home.
Traditional insulation blocks convection and conduction. What is a radiant barrier? Radiant barrier is a reflective surface that is designed to provide a boundary against radiant heat between your conditioned air space and the sun. I spent a great deal of time studying it while planning the building of my new home and this is what I found. It’s important to understand what this technology is and it’s designed intent.
#Radiant barrier insulation install
Ultimately, I’ll share with you why I chose to install radiant barrier in my attic, the type of radiant barrier I chose, and the results that I’ve seen thus far. My goal is to save you the countless hours of research that I endured and provide all of the factual information in a single location. I have included commercial information from manufacturers only when it helps to demonstrate a fact or perception about the technology. I’ll also share academic and scientific research findings that I reviewed surrounding radiant barrier and it’s effectiveness in reducing attic heat. This article will explore the claims, myths, and concerns that are commonly heard. I’m going to share everything that I have learned in my research. The key to its effectiveness is in its ability to reduce the transfer of radiant heat. In the right situation, a radiant barrier system is a cost-effective solution to reducing attic heat and, consequently, energy costs. Multiple studies have confirmed that a radiant barrier is a worthy addition to a home’s thermal envelope. This can result in energy savings in cooling costs up to 10%. Is radiant barrier worth it? Radiant barrier has been shown to decrease ceiling heat gains by up to 42% in certain tests. I decided to focus on air sealing, blown in insulation, and some form of radiant barrier. I considered foam insulation but it wasn’t the right choice for me at the time. At the same time, I needed to work within a budget. When building my new home I researched options for making the structure as energy efficient as possible.
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