Home > How To Install Radiant Barrier
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Where & How to Install Radiant Barrier & Reflective Insulation
RadiantGUARD® radiant barrier insulation products
can be used in unlimited ways to help control the transfer of heat.
Below are just a few of the popular building applications. If you
don't see your desired application below, please feel free to contact us
toll free at (866) 528-8412 for advice on your specific need.
R-Values indicated below vary per installation method
depending on the size of the air space surrounding the product and the
direction of heat flow. Because of these variables, you can achieve
several different R-Values with one basic product.
Page Index - Jump To Topics
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Radiant Barrier Applications
Attic Installations
Most of the heat entering a home comes through the roof.
RadiantGUARD® radiant barrier
insulation installed in an attics can reduce attic temperatures by up
to 30 degrees when installed to the underside of roof rafters by REFLECTING
95-97% of the radiant heat that strikes its surface thereby reducing heat transfer
from the attic to living spaces resulting in lower utility bills.
This method also reduces the heat subject to attic mounted AC duct work
thereby allowing them to work more efficiently.
A secondary method of installation Instead of installing
under the attic rafters, is to lay them over the attic floor. Although
this method of laying over the attic floor wont lower the temperature of
your attic space, it will still REFLECT 95-97% of the radiant heat that strikes
its surface thereby reducing heat transfer from the attic to living spaces
resulting in lower utility bills. To compensate for the exposed AC
duct work with this installation method, you can easily lay a blanket of
radiant barrier over the duct work to protect them from the heat.
Installation Instructions:
Radiant barriers can be extremely effective at lowering
radiant heat transfers when used in exterior siding applications but
again, it MUST have an air space on at least one side of the radiant
barrier for it to work. In this application, a radiant barrier
is installed like a typical house wrap yet before the siding is installed,
you must attach 1 X 2 furring strips over the top of the radiant barrier
to which to attach the siding. This creates the required air space
for the radiant barrier to be effective.
We recommend our
Ultima-FOIL
breathable (perforated) for siding applications.
Installation Instructions:
Roofing Applications
A radiant barrier can be very effective at BLOCKING radiant
heat when installed in conjunction with roofing and siding material, however,
the radiant barrier MUST be installed with an air space on at least one
side of it. As long as there is at least a 3/4" air space on either
side of the radiant barrier, the application will be effective at BLOCKING
radiant heat. For more information on why a radiant barrier must have
an air space on one side of it to be effective, please see our
Radiant Barriers
101 page.
Roofing systems that utilize purlins or batten/counter
battens are ideal for the addition of a radiant barrier because the roofing
easily provides for the required air space already. Metal, tile, and
slate roofing systems are examples of such roofing systems where a radiant
barrier can be easily incorporated.
Equally as important as the air space on a radiant
barrier is the requirement that a radiant barrier remain clean and dry
in any application.
The picture below shows a batten/counter batten system
with a slate/tile material with a radiant barrier on top of the counter
battens. The radiant barrier is installed on the top of the counter
battens in non-watertight applications. This allows the radiant barrier
to remain dry while also achieving the 3/4" air space requirement.
If the roofing material is watertight, installing
the radiant barrier on top of the felt with the batten on top of it
would be sufficient.
We recommend our
Ultima-FOIL
vapor barrier (solid) radiant
barrier product for roofing applications.
Don't Do This...
Because a radiant barrier needs an air space on at
least one side, installing it directly below felt and shingles will
NOT allow the radiant barrier to block any radiant heat. Instead,
the heat from the shingles and felt will conduct all the way through
the barrier, into the attic, and eventually in the living spaces.
Instead Do This...
If an asphalt shingle roof is being installed, you
should install the radiant barrier to the underside of the roof decking
or roof rafters in the attic space below.
Reflective Bubble Insulation Applications
Note: Our bubble insulation products are solid
vapor barriers (i.e. not vapor permeable) and therefore, serious moisture, health,
and durability problems can result from improper installation.
Wall Installations
Most people are familiar with extreme heat found in attic, but there
is secondary method of heat transfer into a building structure; through
the walls. Radiant barriers
installed as house wraps during new construction projects or
bubble insulation retrofitted into
wall systems can block a majority of the heat that transfers through the
walls into living spaces.
Installation Instructions:
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Side Walls
- 2" X 4" wall studs with R-13 un-faced - Assembly R-Value
16.0 (horizontal heat flow) - achieved by creating a 3/4" air
space between bubble insulation and interior wall.
- 2" X 6" wall studs with R-19 un-faced - Assembly R-Value
22.0 (horizontal heat flow) - achieved by creating a 3/4" air
space between bubble insulation and interior wall.
Radiant Flooring Installations
Radiant floor heating has been in use for centuries and
radiant barriers help to retain the heat generated by the radiant heating
system blocking it from escaping into the ground.
Radiant barrier bubble insulation
is extremely tough and pliable, easy to install, and is an excellent vapor
barrier for all your radiant floor heating applications.
Installation Instructions:
Crawl Space Installations
Radiant barrier
bubble insulation installed in crawl spaces below a building structure
reflect the heat flows that are flowing downward from the flooring back
up into the flooring at a 95-97% rate providing increased comfort and heat
retention. The temperature of the cold floors which cause cold feet
will be raised while your heating bill is reduced, providing for increased
comfort. As heat is reflected back into the living area, it warms
other objects which then radiate heat back into the room, further increasing
your living comfort.
Installation Instructions:
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Crawl
Space - R-Value 16.8 (downward heat flow) - achieved
by creating a 9 1/2" enclosed air space between the bubble insulation
and the flooring above.
Metal Building Installations
Radiant barrier
bubble insulation not only blocks 95-97% of the radiant heat striking its
surface, it also provides the necessary thermal break to eliminate condensation
problems in metal buildings.
Roof Installation Instructions:
Wall Installation Instructions:
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New Metal Walls (open interior)
- With Thermal Break - R-Value 5.6 (horizontal heat flow)
- achieved by creating a 3/4" enclosed air space between the exterior
finish and the bubble insulation and an 8" air space between the
insulation and the interior finish.
- Without Thermal Break - R-Value 4.7 (horizontal heat
flow) - achieved by creating a 3/4" nominal enclosed air space between
the exterior finish and bubble insulation and an 8" air space between
insulation and the interior finish (if exists)
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Retrofit Metal Walls (open interior) - R-Value 4.5 (horizontal
heat flow) - achieved by creating an 8" enclosed air space between the
exterior wall and the bubble insulation.
Post Frame / Pole Barn Installations
Radiant barrier
bubble insulation can also help block radiant heat in post frame building
structures inhibiting dew point condensation problems. Our bubble
insulation also does not provide a growth medium or nutritive value for
fungus, insects, or rodents.
Roof Installation Instructions:
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New Post Frame / Pole Barn Roofs (open interior)
- Bottom of Purlins - R-Value 9 (downward heat
flow) R-Value 4.4 (upward heat flow) - achieved by attaching
to the underside of 2" x 4" roof purlins creating a 2" enclosed
air space between bubble insulation and metal exterior roof.
- Above Purlins - R-Value 6.4 (downward heat flow) R-Value
4.3 (upward heat flow) - achieved by attaching to the top
of 2" X 4" roof purlins with at least a 3/4" drape between purlins.
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Retrofit Post Frame / Pole Barn Roofs
- Bottom of Purlins - R-Value 9 (downward heat
flow) R-Value 4.4 (upward heat flow) - achieved by attaching
to the underside of 2" x 4" roof purlins creating a 2" enclosed
air space between bubble insulation and metal exterior roof.
- Bottom of Truss - R-Value 10 (downward heat flow)
R-Value 3.7 (upward heat flow) - achieved
Wall Installation Instructions:
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New Post Frame / Pole Barn Walls (open interior)
- Inside the Girts - R-Value 5.3 (horizontal heat flow)
- achieved by creating a 1" air space between the bubble insulation
and the outside panel.
- Outside the Girts - R-Value 4.7 (horizontal heat flow)
- achieved by creating at least a 3/4" air space between the bubble
insulation and the outside panel.
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Retrofit Post Frame / Pole Barn Walls (open interior)
- Inside the Girts - R-Value 5.3 (horizontal heat flow)
- achieved by creating a 1" air space between the bubble insulation
and the outside panel.
Masonry / Basement Block Wall Installation
Radiant barrier
bubble insulation is excellent as a basement wall insulator. It
performs as a vapor retarder, resists fungus and mold, and also controls
dew point problems. R-Values are unaffected by a damp moisture basement
environment unlike fiberglass insulation.
Other Installations
Radiant barrier
bubble insulation applications are only limited by your imagination.
Below are a few more installation applications.
Installation Instructions:
Additional Installation Tips & Tricks
General Tips
The following tips are provided to help
reduce the labor time involved and make your radiant barrier installation project
and easy one.
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Start early in the morning when your attic is at its
coolest.
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Carry all of your radiant barrier and tools into the
attic to avoid unnecessary trips to and fro.
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Keep plenty of water on hand and drink even if you don't
think you're thirsty; especially in the summer months.
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If your attic is not well lit, bring some type of additional
lighting source.
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Find a centrally located area to set up your work area
(see tip below regarding creating a "roll caddy").
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Always be cautious of
the attic floor joists you walk on. Some have a tendency of "rolling" when
not securely fastened to the floor of the attic.
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When installing on the attic floor, work from the outer
most regions of the attic and work your way towards the middle (ideally
where the "roll caddy" is located).
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Cut the longest pieces of barrier as fits when laying
out in long run sections of your attic. It will cut down time spend
on cutting and positioning smaller pieces. To determine the length
of a piece of radiant barrier needed, count the number of floor joists or
rafters that span the area you are working in and multiply this number by
2 if your rafter/joist span is 24". The resulting number is the linear
feet of barrier you should cut to fit this space.
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For Do-It-Yourselfers (DIY), don't try to complete a
large job in one day. Take your time and spread the installation out
over several days taking advantage of the cooler hours of the day.
For professional contractors, work in groups of two to three. Having
someone focused on cutting the product and handing it over to someone else
installing it helps cut down installation times.
Roll Caddy Creation & Setup
This roll caddy design is an inexpensive option to help
with measurement and cutting of the radiant barrier. It helps to lift
and hold the roll of radiant barrier up at a workable height making it easier
to measure and cut.
Parts Needed:
- 1 four foot piece of 1/2" black threaded plumbing pipe
- 1 four foot piece of 1" PVC pipe
- 2 threaded elbow PVC joints
- 2 quick links
- 2 snap hooks
- 2 three foot pieces of chain (see lower picture)
- 2 safety hooks (see lower picture)
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Instructions to Create:
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Drill a hole in one end of each elbow large enough
to fit the quick link through.
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Attach the snap hooks to each quick link.
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Screw one elbow onto one end of the black threaded
plumbing pipe.
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Slide the PVC pipe onto the black threaded plumbing
pipe (start at end without the elbow attached).
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Screw the remaining elbow onto the other end
of the black threaded plumbing pipe.
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Completed Roll Caddy
Setting Up the Roll Caddy
Locate an area over some floor decking that will allow you
secure the chains (either draping over rafters or nailing to studs) to elevate
the roll caddy 4 to 6 feet in the air. Secure one side of the roll caddy
to one of the chains with one of the safety hooks.
Slide the roll of radiant barrier onto the roll caddy and
secure the remaining side to the chain with the remaining safety hook.
By knowing the height of the roll caddy, you can quickly
determine the point at which to cut based on the length you need by taking the
end of the barrier down to the attic floor and back up as necessary. For
example, if your roll caddy is 5 feet off the attic floor and you need a 15
foot long piece cut, you can quickly determine 15 feet by unrolling three caddy-to-floor
sections and then cutting.
Reaching Small Places
Some areas of the attic floor can be very tight spaces
and difficult to reach. The following tools can be found at local hardware
stores makes pushing and moving the radiant barrier around into tight spaces
much easier. It is also handy for passing material from one person
to another helping with the install. It's called the "Grip
n' Grab" and it's made by Ettore.
When using extension poles, tape a large nail on the end
which can be used to puncture and hold the product until it is in place,
then just simply pull the pole back to release the product.
Outline Decking For Visibility
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Radiant barriers can be installed in your attic space
following a variety of radiant barrier installation techniques:
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Stapled to the underside of your attic rafters,
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Draped over the top of your attic rafters before
the roof decking is attached,
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Stapled directly to the roof decking before the
roof decking is attached, or
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Rolled out over the attic floor over the floor
joists or existing insulation.
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A great tip related to laying the radiant barrier
directly on the attic floor is to tape an outline of any underlying
decking pieces you use to walk on to access various storage areas or
equipment in your attic. By outlining these decking pieces with a brightly
colored tape, you, and contractors or repairmen who access your attic
in the future, will easily be able to see where it's safe to walk eliminating
the risk of stepping in the wrong place through the ceiling drywall.
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Got another great installation tip you'd like to share?
Email us.
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