Customer Testimonials
The following customer testimonials are from actual RadiantGUARD®
customers:
Our summers are HOT in Sacramento CA. We get many 100 degree days plus some of these days are back to back. I really was tired on not having a house that was comfortable and having "HIGH" electric bills. I had thought my only solution would be to upgrade to a high efficient system ($$$) and spend lots more ($$$) on traditional attic insulation.
I often have thought how I could modify or retrofit my house to make it become much more energy efficient without breaking the bank. I was never satisfied with the solutions and costs.
I've been an HVAC tech for over 24 years. My house is an older single story with very little attic insulation and a darker colored roof. I have a 14 year old split gas electric heating and cooling system. I do have it tuned up and running at optimal performance for its age with a couple of enhancements. I did add to 2 attic fans before installing Radiant Guard, which did not help even setting them low to 85 to cycle on.
Before my Radiant Guard installation my older A/C system would run almost non-stop from 10:00am to 11:30pm if I set the thermostat to 75 on 100+ days. The temp inside would gradually increase to 81-83 through the day depending how much over a 100 it could be that day. These are my results, yours may vary.
After the Radiant Guard installation my system won't usually come on until noon or sometimes even after 1:00pm and now cycles at least 20-35 minutes every hour I run it even if I set my indoor temperature at 76 degrees on a 100 degree day. It will hold my house at that indoor temperature, just amazing!!!
After that I experimented on the next HOT day (108) and set my indoor temp to 72 in the morning to see if it could do maintain that temperature with this product and it held it all day. That's 36 degrees difference from inside to outside, Amazing!!! There were a couple hours were it ran non-stop, but still I used less electricity that day compared to before Radiant Guard was installed on a similar day and outdoor temperature scenario. Did I say that's Amazing!!!
I also noticed something very different after I installed Radiant Guard which had to do with my indoor night time temperature swing. After running the indoor temperate down to 70 degrees, (I like it nice and cool for sleeping) my unit would cycle off for the night and in the morning my thermostat would read only a drop 1 to 2 degrees cooler than 70 on which it was set at. Outdoor temperatures at night might drop to the high 50's sometimes or in the low 60's in the summer usually. This tells me that this product should work well this coming winter. My attic temperatures are lower now and my attic cools off quicker too.
I've had this product installed for over 3 1/2 months now. These are my electric bill results. First month, April was 26% savings compared to last year same month. Second month, May was 29% savings compared to last year same month. The third month, June to was the shocker, 48% savings based on same month last year, WOW!!! My house now feels like a home to me. I get up in the mornings smiling now knowing my house has the (RGA) Radiant Guard Advantage and will keep me and my family comfortable on the hottest summer days.
It is my opinion that I could have spent thousands adding two layers of R39 attic insulation and even more on a newer high efficiency central heat and air conditioning system and would "have not" gotten the same performance to price result that Radiant Guard has given me with my old system. I will upgrade my HVAC system someday. I do not know of any another product that could have this performance to price comparison. Just Amazing!!! I would highly recommend it. I'm very satisfied now!
Why did I pick Radiant Guard? They listed the pricing up front on there site. Reasonable shipping cost for the weight and size of material. Also, the customer feedback that had been left on the site. A flawless transaction for me...
Mike
Sacramento, CA
I got a $350 electric bill! -I know that many people would not find this to be a lot of money, but I am somewhat frugal by nature. Previous to the bill, I had blown-in more insulation, replaced all of my light bulbs with fluorescents & LED-s and LED floods on my motion detector lights outside, put in a more efficient condensing unit on my HVAC with the latest and enviro-friendly refrigerant. So I was now looking for something novel to help me to find further efficiencies and found radiant barriers.
Anyway, I did some research and came across this product. It seemed too good to be true, so I checked it out on the energy department website ([...]) and found that they can reduce thermal transfer by 16-42%(!!!)). Then I perused the tables in the studies and concluded that the installation would pay for itself, at least. -So I bought 2000 ft/sq and began installation and installed about 800 ft/sq in the heat of my passion. I also repaired my attic exhaust fan (but my house is fully ridge-vented as well). I also repaired a couple of small leaks in my ductwork. -Not the type of work I would recommend in FL in the summer..... So, what were the results?
My electric bill went from $350 to $250 with approximately the same weather.
Do I endorse the product? -Yes I do. All you have to do is experience is the 'shaded' feeling you get when the barrier is installed and you will know it works. It is like your roof being shaded by an umbrella, in effect. Is it fully responsible for the savings? Nope, but I will install the other 1200 ft/sq and see how much more savings it generates. If you live in a sun-drenched area like mine, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.
But. Also make sure your ductwork doesn't leak and do what you can to improve your attic's ventillation too. They have a huge part to play in the equation.
Cost efficient economy, in the end, is the best form of green that there is. -And it can put some green in your pocket, too. This is a great product, strong and it does the job, and it is the most economical of the quality heavy weight barriers on the market today. I would recommend it to anyone in my same situation without reservation, and I have recommended it to all my family.
I can't guarantee that it will save you as much as it did me, but it will save you money. That much I know is true.
Dennis A. Garber
Pensacola, FL
Just to let you know, I installed you product on top the attic insulation, and noticed an immediate drop in
temperature on the second floor of my townhouse which I have never been able to cool properly.
I am very pleased with you product, and have told others of how well this simple inexpensive product work.
I hope you notice an increase in business in the Buffalo N.Y. area
Jim E.
Orchard Park, NY
Wanted to let you know that I installed this over the 4th of
July weekend and it has already paid for itself I think!!!!
What a wondrously "forgiving" product... though not intended
to be a one-man job, I managed to cut, handle, install by myself while my family
was away on vacation, and the benefits were immediately apparent.
I AM a believer in its value, and as an architect will encourage
others to use and benefit as have I. Thanks!
David W.
Greenville, SC
I just purchased three rolls of Ultima radiant barrier a couple
months ago, and I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with the product. We
installed it on the undersides of our rafters, and we started a bit late in the
year, so we were unable to completely finish the job yet. We just paid our first
real summer electric bill and it was 40% lower than last year at the same time.
Within two months we will have paid for the radiant barrier. It was very well made
and easy to work with, your price was very competitive, and I could not be happier.
Thank you very much.
Brandon Martin
Fort Worth, Texas
I have a brick veneer office building with a metal roof. I have
installed radiant barrier on the rafters and am about 60% finished. I have already
seen a 28.4% decrease in my daily KWH usage for the month of April when compared
to last year. Amazing. And we are not even into the worst part of summer. The stuff
works good and is easy to handle. I used the Ultima with an electric staple gun
with 1/4 inch staples. I am in College Station, Texas, and think this product should
be more widely used for energy conservation and efficiency. Thanks.
Richard
College Station, Texas
I am writing to tell you how wonderful your product is. It was
going to cost me app. $2,000 to have a local company come and install a radiant
layer in my attic, but after surfing the internet, I found your company. I
read my options for products and the ease of installation instructions and decided
that I could do this myself! The cost and shipping was very affordable.
I live in a 2 story house that has always been HOT on the second
floor. You could feel the temperature rise as you walked up the stairs.
Even with the ducts closed on the first floor, it was still hot.
I installed RadiantGUARD all by myself and it was very easy.
The temperature is almost the same on the second floor as on the first. My
air conditioner does not have to work as hard or as much since installing it.
I am amazed at how the difference it has made in the comfort of my house.
Can't wait to see what a difference it makes this winter, not that I am in any hurry
for it to come, but knowing my heating bill will be lower and my house more comfortable....I
will gladly promote your product to other and the ease of installation. Thank
you for having this product available to the general public at a reasonable cost.
Carolyn Saunders
Norwalk, IA 50211
My wife and I purchased
a 30-yr home in Redding, CA in October of last year. We dove right into a
fairy expensive remodel, which included the addition of a 400-sq-ft room and a full
tear of the kitchen and all surface coverings and the flooring downstairs.
In short, the entire downstairs was stripped to the studs.
The existing insulation
was R-11. What's worse is that it was compacted. I replaced all the
insulation and installed RadiantGUARD radiant barrier everywhere I could.
On the floors, because they are 1.5" T&G raised, I laid down radiant barrier and
then Tyvek over the top (Hardie board is over that, but that is off point).
I put Tyvek over the vertical shear on the addition, then shimmed out the walls
3/4". I then installed radiant barrier before I nailed up the T-111.
I also installed radiant barrier on the bottom of the truss studs in the attic of
the new addition. I was not able to shim the existing vertical walls, because
of spacing issues with the second floor; nevertheless, I did put radiant barrier
on these walls as well.
What we have at
this point is a fully insulated downstairs with radiant barrier on just about every
surface (floors, walls and attic). I am curious to see the thermal performance
this summer, but we have already had 100+ days here in Redding and the downstairs
is like living in a cooler. On the hottest day so far, 103, this floor held
at 74-degrees until 2pm without running the AC unit or nay fans. Amazing to
say the least.
We are not tearing
out the second floor drywall, or doing anything as substantial as we did downstairs,
but I will be installing Radiant Barrier in the attic, and just about any other
place I can.
So far we are amazed with how well
Radiant Barrier works, and we have told everyone that we know about it.
David
Redding, California
I’m here to sing
the praises of radiant barrier. We have lived in Oklahoma since 1973
and the summers here are sometimes beyond bearable. Several years ago
at our previous house in Bartlesville, Oklahoma the air conditioning would run constantly
during the day in the summer months and still could not bring the inside temp below
80 degrees. Through a local contractor I was introduced to the radiant barrier
product and I must say I was skeptical at first. But I decided I had little
to lose so I bought the radiant barrier and installed it in the attic over the loose
fill insulation following the manufacture’s recommendations. Immediately we
experienced the results of my labor, (and the radiant barrier), with lower utility
costs and fewer air conditioner service calls. The ac unit would cycle as
it should, the house had become very comfortable during the summer and there was
little variance in temperature from room to room. There was a noticeable improvement
in retaining heat during the winter months too.
Eventually we moved back to Tulsa,
Oklahoma and since that time I had been looking, off and on, for radiant barrier
to install in my current house. Recently I ran across the RadiantGUARD
website, I immediately ordered a 1000 sq foot roll and just finished installing
it in the attic. Luckily because of the recent storms it was cooler in the
attic and I was able to complete the installation within a few hours in one day.
I also had the help of a roller jig I had constructed that made the task easier
and go much faster.
As you can tell I am sold on the benefits
of radiant barrier and I take every opportunity to tell anyone who will listen about
my experiences. Some friends have installed radiant barrier and are
amazed at the results.
Jim Taylor
Tulsa, Oklahoma
All
I can say is WOW!! What a difference your product has made in my home.
I live in California and the last few days have been HOT!! While
the outside temp was around 90-100, my house stay 20-25 degrees cooler with no air!
I decided to tack the Ultima under my rafters. This took some time and effort however,
it was well worth it!! I have pasted this info on to a number of friends. So expect
some orders from Northern Ca. Thanks again
Steve Blagden
Pleasanton, CA
We installed the product on the attic ceiling, covering all joists,
crossbeams and rafters with heavy-duty staple guns. The product is extremely durable
and easy to work with. Me and my wife built the jiq with a few minor modifications.
We used galvanized pipe and elbows with the PVC pipe for the roller. The jig is
a must and I highly recommended it. It is worth the cost (very little I might add)
in time and effort.
I have to tell you a story...My wife and I were in the attic
and we started at the peak on one end of the attic ceiling. It was approx. 125 degrees
and the going was slow. As we were putting the product on the attic roof, we noticed
that on the side without the barrier, we could hardly breathe as the temperature
was excruciating. The side that we were working on was considerably cooler. We could
actually breath under the barrier side. We also had to have our evaporator replaced
in the attic as our new home had a slight leak. I went to check on the technicians
who were installing the new unit at 3:00 pm and I ask how they were doing and they
said we can't believe how cool it is up here. They stated the last two attics they
were in were so hot that they thought they were going to be sick. Prior to installing
the radiant barrier, I wanted to cool the attic down and I was thinking about the
spray on barrier as I heard someone in the neighborhood had it done. I thought I
would try an attic gable vent, so I went to the Hardware store and bought one with
a thermostat. I installed it and had to program it to turn on at 110 degrees and
it continually ran between 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm. After finding your web site as well
as others, I decided to purchase from you and I must say....Your site was the most
informative and the delivery time was unbelievably prompt. We installed the product
and the attic temperature rarely exceeds 92 degrees. The gable fan is now worthless.
Our average electric bill without the radiant barrier in April, May, and June was
$140.00. After installing the radiant barrier our electric bills have been reduced
by 50 % even in the hottest months. We also have double pane windows, high efficiency
bulbs exclusively and we keep the thermostat between 71 and 73 degrees. Start installing
in the early am and quit around the hottest times. Resume two hours after nightfall.
Drink plenty of water and Power Aid if installing during the hot months. You will
probably need a step ladder to reach the peak if installing on the ceiling of the
attic.
I have bragged about this product and your company to all interested
parties. They are skeptical until they hear my testimony. We love the product and
the results.
David
Austin, Texas
Installed 2500 square feet of Ultima laid on top of pre-existing
R-40 fiberglass attic insulation in my house with truss roof construction and a
metal roof. Immediately noticed a stabilization of room temperatures and a reduction
of AC usage. Radiant heat gains previously experienced from the metal roof are finally
neutralized. Am expecting similar positive results during the upcoming heating season
through improved reduction of living area heat loss.
In summary:
Quality of material-excellent
Ease of installation-despite expected truss construction
challenges, quality and forgiveness of material made installation doable for
a one man crew.
Purchase/delivery: excellent, couldn't be better.
Satisfaction level: highest I can rate.
Install tips:
1-Taping a piece of course grade sandpaper wrapped around
the end of a wood pole (like the kind that unscrews from some brooms/mops) made
a nice push stick to move/adjust the radiant barrier material for final positioning.
2-wearing old school soft sole shoes like the converse Chuck
Taylors enables you to feel ceiling joists for safe foot positioning.
3-for material cuts, use partially opened scissors.
4-for any area that you may later wish to gain walking access;
using foil tape, attach a piece of 3/4 PVC pipe cut the width of the roll to
the material at the start of the access point, with the opposite end taped down
with foil tape. Doing this will allow you to easily roll up that section of
material for temporary attic access. When finished, just unroll leaving the
PVC attached for future access.
Motivation: Typical home improvements offer the homeowner
reimbursements only upon the sale of the home. Insulation improvements are unique
in that the homeowner will realize monthly reimbursements in the form of reduced
power bills, and a reimbursement at the time of sale. Also, the general feel of
the house now having stabilized temperatures is very nice indeed.
Am I glad that I installed a RadiantGUARD barrier: absolutely!
Lee
Central Alabama
I purchased your premium grade Radiant Barrier on 8/16/07 and
had it installed shortly afterward. Having spent a good portion of my career as
a Quality Control supervisor, I was use to analyzing data, so I decided to evaluate
the performance as best I could of the installation of your product..
This graph shows the temperature difference with and without
a radiant barrier at various times of day during the month of August, 2007. After
reading numerous articles on how a radiant barrier can reduce summer heat gain and
winter heat loss, I decided to test the effect this had on my home. I used wireless
thermocouples so as to collect the data at one location. The placement was: 1 -
Outside facing north under a patio cover, 2 - Inside the center of the house, 3
- In the attic under the blown in insulation and touching the ceiling wallboard,
and 4 - In the center of the attic’s framing space (hip roof). The Radiant Barrier
was laid over the existing insulation and on top of the AC ducts. The parameter
of attic flooring was tacked and mark with tape. Two men with minimal experience
took four hours to complete the job. Preliminary indications are that the AC runs
less, temperature throughout the house is much more uniform, with no warm or cool
spots which was a problem before installation of the radiant barrier. After seeing
what severe effect the sun has on the attic, insulation, and heat infiltration,
short of shade trees, a radiant barrier does make a lot a sense. Energy usage is
down 20 -25% so far.
Louis De Roche.
Slidell, La
To all who read this: This product works! I cannot begin to express
my satisfaction, near elation, about the effectiveness of this product. I purchased
the Premium Radiant Barrier to lay over my attic floor upstairs.
The current insulation is blown-in and likely the original insulation
(home built in 1976). Our upstairs bedrooms were consistently 8-10 degrees warmer
(summer time cooling) than the main floor. I looked in to purchasing a de-humidifier
to help with the mugginess and temperature, but the cost of machine and cost to
operate turned me off. I found Radiant Guard through a Google search, and I'm thrilled
I purchased it.
Upon installation, the results were immediately felt. During
mid-afternoon, typically when the upstairs is hottest, I went up stairs to find
that I could not feel a difference in temperature between there and the main floor.
I have noticed the a/c kicks on less often, though I cannot report
any utility savings at this time due to the fact I have no bills to compare yet.
I'm confident there will be a savings, though the comfort level
upstairs is savings enough for me. It's the best $130.00 I've ever spent.
Thank you Radiant Guard.
Schawn W.
Carmel (Indianapolis), Indiana
I live in Cincinnati Ohio and bought the Premium barrier. I laid
it directly on the attic floor over loose fill insulation. The big surprise to me
is the difference it makes in the Winter. We turned the thermostat down two degrees
during the day and are very comfortable. We turned it down six degrees at night
and sometimes we wake up in the middle of the night because we are too warm! One
word of advice, do not skimp on the plywood platform when you are working in the
attic. I did, and put my foot through the Master bedroom ceiling! But I have a great
wife, she was only mad for about 5 minutes.
Thanks, great product!
Doug Bell
Cincinnati, Ohio
I purchased a roll of RadiantGUARD's White Double Bubble
Insulation to put under the decking, between the rafters of my work shop.
The insulation worked out great, it is so light weight that I did not need any help
installing it even though I cut it in 10 foot lengths. Before installing the
insulation I was having a problem with moisture build up under the decking, since
installing it I have had no problems at all. The shop stays warmer now with
very little heating required.
The only thing I would suggest you check before you staple the
insulation in is the size of the staple. I started out with one that was to long
and had to change and use a shorter one.
Thanks for the great product.
Allen Anderson
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
RadiantGUARD was especially forthcoming in answering questions
by email and telephone. Customer Support was especially patient and helpful.
The double foil insulation I ordered arrived in a timely manner, with five day (because
of a weekend), and was what I was promised. The installation of the 48" x
125' rolls went well. My installation was in a crawlspace, and I chose to
leave the water and gas lines exposed, so there was a little more work involved.
I should mention that I live in coastal SC, where there are no basements.
I have no installation recommendations other than those supplied by RadiantGUARD.
Patience is the key!
RadiantGUARD has made this is very positive experience
for me. I am 65 years old and had no trouble with installation.
Rodger
South Carolina
RadiantGUARD's website exemplifies the perfect model of
online purchasing that eludes the vast majority of it's internet contemporaries.
Aesthetically perfect blend of refreshing clarity, understated strength, and %100
functionality blend seamlessly, affording fortunate clients a precision buying experience,
from start to finish that's second to none! The product I ordered arrived with astounding
speed and in perfect condition despite UPS destructive efforts. If only RadiantGUARD's
business approach were the world wide STANDARD for internet merchants. Not only
would individual consumers benefit dramatically But I venture to speculate economic
revitalization nationally as well as globally and extending nobility into the atomic
structure of humanity itself! Thank you RadiantGUARD!!!!!!!!!
Scott
This has got to be the best business we have ever dealt with,
just superb!
Chris Duncan
Duncan Cabinets
In May of this year I got up in the attic with a friend and we
installed the Standard radiant barrier insulation purchased from you all. I was
impressed with the thickness of the product. It was so much more 'substantial' than
the product we had previously installed. Our utility bill has lowered an average
of 600 kilowatt hours each month for the last 3 months.
Barbara
Port Charlotte, FL
Just received your product yesterday. By the way, your customer
service, with the updates of emails regarding the status of the order is fantastic.
Ed
Wyoming, MI
Hi; I just want to say it has been a pleasure doing business
with such a service oriented company as you guys are. I received my order with out
a hitch. You have revived my faith in the Internet. Thank You.
Bob
Rutland, MA
We decided to install a radiant heat barrier,
based on what we read on both commercial and government web sites. I ordered
the medium weight barrier from the
RadiantGUARD website.
I had assumed the radiant barrier would have to be babied going
up, and would be easy to tear. Actually it is just the opposite. It
is quite rugged and survives rolling, folding, and minor accidents with blunt objects,
all of which got thoroughly tested as I fat-fingered my way through the job.
I trusted the web-sites that a radiant barrier was a good idea, but as you're installing
it, it's hard to believe it is actually doing anything for your house. The
whole thing is kind of theoretical, or was until I got near the center. I
was finally able to sit in a stooped position and I noticed how hot my face and
head felt. It was like I had sunburn. Then I sat back and the heat went
away! It was just the "shadow" of the foil barrier. As I moved under
I felt fine, as I moved out from under, I was distinctly hot and uncomfortable.
This through the asphalt shingles and 1x6 roof sheathing! It was obvious that
the thin layer of foil was making a huge difference in the amount of heat coming
in through the roof. It was like being hit by a heat-lamp when I wasn't under
the foil.
Overall, I highly recommend a radiant barrier in any house that
does not already have it built into the roof sheathing. It was cheap, relatively
easy to install, and made a significant difference. I don't have a full month's
electric bill to compare yet, but our bill dropped by $75 with only a partial month
of radiant barrier and insulation so I am looking forward to the first full bill.
Tom W.
Los Angeles, California
I'm sure you have good data showing the effectiveness of
RadiantGUARD, but I thought that I'd share my results with you and your guys.
You can take the engineer out of the business, but you can't take the engineer out
of the retiree. The middle grade radiant barrier was very easy to handle and
install without tearing or puncturing. After installing 2000 sq.ft. RadiantGUARD
in my attic, mostly stapled to the underside of the roof rafters, peak attic temperatures
were lowered about 11 deg. F. Corresponding electric power usage was lower
by 20% for the month of May compared to May 2005. For maximum benefits,
I made sure that ambient air vents fed both the attic space above and below the
foil, and the air space between foil and roof had unobstructed communication with
either ridge vents or mechanical ventilators. The only thing better is to
install a new roof using aluminized decking. Great Stuff!!
Charlie Beal
Houston, Texas
