How should
I install a radiant barrier in my attic?
Our RadiantGUARD® radiant barriers can be laid over
your present insulation on your attic floor like a blanket or stapled to the
underside of your roof rafters. They can also be draped over the top of
the roof rafters in a new roof decking application.
The Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association (RIMA)
conducted
a study on the placement of radiant barriers in an attic space and found
that the placement of a radiant barrier on the attic floor yields the
highest benefits.
There are also many other
locations in your home where a radiant
barrier reflective insulation product can be effective.
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Do I need a a radiant barrier or bubble insulation for my my attic?
There is no need to purchase and install the more expensive
reflective bubble insulation for your attic space as it will end up performing
exactly the same as a radiant barrier which is almost 1/2 the cost. However,
you certainly can install the reflective bubble insulation in your attic space
but stapled to the roof decking or underside of rafters only. You cannot
lay a bubble insulation product over the attic floor because it is a vapor barrier
and will trap moisture that rises from your living space thereby causing condensation
and potentially causing water damage in your attic space. If you want
to install one of our products on your attic floor, you much choose one of our
perforated radiant barriers; Standard, Premium or Ultima.
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Do I need a perforated or solid radiant barrier in my attic?
A radiant barrier used in the attic floor application MUST
be perforated to allow water vapor to pass through it. This is necessary because,
during the winter, if there is no effective vapor retarder at the ceiling, water
vapor from the living space may condense (and even freeze) on the underside
of a radiant barrier lying on the attic floor and cause water damage to the
ceiling and any existing attic floor insulation. Why? Because warm moisture
laden air always moves towards cooler air and will condense on surfaces trapping
the air if it is not a perforated material allowing the moisture laden air to
pass through it and out the building structure
Read more here to determine if you
need a solid radiant barrier.
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Can I install a radiant barrier directly underneath my shingles when
reroofing?
No, a radiant barrier needs at least a 3/4" air space on
at least one side of it for it to be effective. If a radiant barrier were
sandwiched between two surfaces, it would merely conduct heat all the way through
it as if it were not installed. The best location for
installing a radiant barrier is
in your attic space.
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What is the difference between Standard, Premium and Ultima radiant barrier?
The primary differences in RadiantGUARD® Standard,
Premium and Ultima radiant barriers are in the weights of each and the puncture
and tear resistance factors.
Ultima is our most durable and industrialized radiant barrier with an extremely
high puncture and tear resistance factor. It is ideal stapled to the underside
of roof rafters and stapled to wall studs as a house wrap. Ultima perforated
can also be laid over the attic floor.
Premium is
our next durable product and is the most versatile of our radiant barriers ideal
for both stapling to attic rafters and laying over the attic floor. Standard
is our entry level radiant barrier with the least puncture and tear resistance
making it primarily suited for laying over the attic floor.
All RadiantGUARD®
radiant barrier products are
high quality, double-sided, tear and puncture resistant radiant barrier products
of higher quality than many of the other radiant barrier products in the marketplace.
They each BLOCK 97% of the radiant heat.
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Is a radiant
barrier the same as basic kitchen foil?
Basic kitchen foil is not the same as our RadiantGUARD®
radiant barriers. Basic kitchen foil is comprised of approximately 22%
aluminum along with other alloys and minerals that will cause the kitchen
foil to break down over time. Our products are made of 99.5% pure aluminum.
The higher concentrated aluminum makes our products highly reflective allowing
them to BLOCK 97% of the radiant heat. Our radiant barrier foil
insulation products also contain small
perforations so they breathe eliminating
condensation issues.
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How does radiant barrier foil insulation work?
Radiant barrier foil insulation is
unlike mass insulation that merely slows down or resists heat transfer.
A radiant barrier BLOCKS radiant heat. Heat always moves to colder
areas by natural law - the problem is how to keep the heat in the winter and
how to keep it out in the summer. There are three ways in which heat moves
from warm spaces to cold spaces: CONDUCTION is the direct heat
flow through a solid object such as a wall or a ceiling. CONVECTION
is heat movement through air, occurring when air is warmed. The warm expands,
becoming less dense and rising. RADIATION is the movement
of heat rays across air spaces from one warm object to a cooler object.
The heat we feel from a wood stove or a quartz space heater is radiant heat.
ALL OBJECTS AND BODIES GIVE OFF RADIANT HEAT.
Radiant
barriers BLOCK radiant heat by reflecting it back towards
the direction it came as well as REDUCE convective heat by acting as
a blockage against convective air flow. With a radiant barrier properly
installed, you can significantly reduce the amount of heat that common insulation
materials are designed to slow down thereby maximizing the efficiency of common
insulation materials making your living space more comfortable and reducing
your overall energy utility costs.
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Can a radiant
barrier keep me warmer in the winter?
Just like wrapping a baked potato in aluminum foil keeps
a potato warm longer by holding the heat in, covering your attic insulation
with radiant barrier holds heat in the house. Another analogy would be
that radiant barrier foil insulation in the winter works just like a space blanket,
which, although very thin and lightweight, holds your body heat in. A
thin space blanket can keep you warmer than several heavy wool blankets.
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What
is the "R" value of a radiant barrier?
Radiant barriers do not "absorb" heat like mass insulation
(fiberglass, cellulose, foam, etc). Instead, our RadiantGUARD®
radiant barriers, with their highly reflective surfaces, reflect 97% of the
radiant heat that hits it and therefore, have no R-value rating.
Installing a radiant
barrier between the heat source (sun) and an existing R-Value rated insulation
will improve the effectiveness of the R-Value rated insulation. Why?
Because only 3% of the heat is now hitting the R-Value rated mass insulation
giving it more time to absorb heat before becoming saturated and passing the
heat into your living spaces.
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Do I have to have other insulation in my attic for a radiant barrier to
be effective?
No. Radiant barrier foil insulation actually makes
your present insulation more effective.
Installing a radiant barrier between the
heat source (sun) and an existing R-Value rated insulation will improve the
effectiveness of the R-Value rated insulation. Why? Because
only 3% of the heat is now hitting the R-Value rated mass insulation giving
it more time to absorb heat before becoming saturated and passing the heat into
your living spaces.
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I already have plenty of insulation in my attic. Do I really need
a radiant barrier?
Regardless of how much insulation you have in your attic,
adding radiant barrier foil insulation will save on your heating and cooling
expense, and keep you much more comfortable. Energy savings for heating
and cooling can vary from 10% to 25% depending on a number of factors, including
climate, building configuration, materials used, site, family size and lifestyle.
A1 SUMMER: "A radiant
barrier system can stop 97% of the thermal radiation across an attic space.
If it is not stopped, that radiant energy would be absorbed by the ceiling insulation
and eventually be transferred to the living space below." "The Solar Collector,"
Quarterly Newsletter of the Florida Solar Energy Center.
"The heat storage capacity of reflective insulation is low.
As a result, it does not store heat during summer days, only to pass it on down
into the rooms of the house from the attic at night when coolness is most apt
to be desired from the point of view of sleeping comfort." "Progressive
Architecture," Nov. 1949, Page 76.
A2 WINTER: "CONCLUSIONS:
Reflective foil retrofitted to fiberglass insulated . . . buildings is demonstrably
effective in reducing heat loss . . . Installation of foil in uninsulated buildings
would show even more pronounced reduction in heat loss." "Effects of Reflective
Foil On Heat Loss in Attic Floors and Metal Building Installations," Northeastern
Illinois University, Prof. Charles Shabica, May 20, 1986.
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Will dust accumulate on a radiant barrier and reduce its effectiveness?
This very issue has been studied by research institutes.
Most attics don't accumulate enough dust to affect radiant barrier's ability
to save energy costs. Thousands of homes and structures have had radiant
barrier foil insulation installed for as long as ten years or more with no significant
accumulation.
An exhaustive test performed by James R. Hall, project engineer
for the Tennessee Valley Authority concluded that "...the dust appeared to have
little effect on the effectiveness of the radiant barrier. The percent
reduction in ceiling heat flux was remarkably similar to that of a radiant barrier
with no dust. Click here
to read the report - summary conclusion is on page two.
A1 "Aluminum foil exposed in a vertical position
since 1929 to the dust and fumes in the Heat Measurements Laboratory, M.I.T.
Samples of this foil have been removed from time to time and the emissivity
determined. Over a period of 10 years no appreciable change in emissivity
was found." "American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers'
Journal Section," Jan. 1940, Professor Wilkes, M.I.T.
A2 "Thin layers of dust readily visible to
the eye do not cause very serious lowering in the reflective power. The
appearance of the surface is not a reliable guide as to its reflectivity for
radiant heat, and foil which appears dark or discolored may have lost little
in insulating value if the surface film is thin." -The National Bureau of Standards,
U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Letter Circular - 535.
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Will my roof shingles get hotter and deteriorate with a radiant barrier
in my attic?
A radiant barrier may cause an increase in shingle temperature
between 2-5 degrees Fahrenheit on a hot summer day. Given that shingle
temperature at that time is in the range of 160-190 degrees, this increase is
negligible and does not accelerate shingle degradation.
Radiant barrier foil insulation has been used extensively
in the south, showing negligible differences in roof temperatures, as confirmed
by field tests. Read more about
radiant barriers and roof shingle
temperatures.
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Will the radiant barrier aluminum corrode over time and lose its effectiveness?
A1 "Hundreds of samples of aluminum
foil have been stored in the laboratory for various periods of time up to 10
years with no visible signs of deterioration." "American Society of Heating
& Air Conditioning Engineers' Journal Section."
A2 "Aluminum is highly resistant
to the effect of corrosion . . . Aluminum is constantly being used where it
is exposed to weather, salt spray and other conditions, which would adversely
affect most metals." The United States Rubber Co. Booklet, "Serving
You Through Science." Page 5.
As long as RadiantGUARD® radiant barriers products
are properly installed and not exposed to outdoor weather conditions, they are
expected to last the lifetime of the building structure in which they are installed.
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How much money can I expect to save on my utility bills if I install a radiant
barrier in my attic?
Although RadiantGUARD® radiant barriers BLOCK 97%
of radiant heat, your utility bills savings will vary because there are other
forms of heat flow in a building that contribute to the total cooling (or heating)
load. Data varies by region.
Based on study performed by the
Tennessee Value Authority,
savings averaged approximately 17%. The radiant barrier placed on top
of the attic floor insulation was the best summer performer. It consistently
showed heat flux reductions compared to the non-radiant barrier test case of
about 40% percent for almost all ambient temperatures and even showed savings
(17% percent) during mild temperature and night summer conditions.
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Are radiant barrier tested by qualified independent testing agencies or
governmental agencies?
The Florida Solar Energy Center at Cape Canaveral has tested
radiant barriers in both small scale laboratory and full scale building models.
Their results indicate that radiation barriers provide significant resistance
to heat transfer. Current tests conducted by the Tennessee Valley Authority
and the University of Mississippi support the findings at the Florida Solar
Energy Center. Northeastern Illinois University conducted winter tests
in residential and commercial structures using infra-red thermograph photography.
The photos showed significant resistance to heat transfer over the regular insulation.
All RadiantGUARD® radiant barrier products
meet the Standard Specifications for Sheet Radiant Barriers for Building Construction
Applications ASTM C1313 and the
State of California Title 24
Insulation Standards.
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Can I receive a tax credit from the IRS if I install a radiant barrier in
my home?
Possibly due to the
Energy Policy
Act of 2005 signed into law by President Bush on August 8th, 2005.
Tax credits (Section 25C) are available for many types of
home improvements including adding insulation, replacement windows, and
certain high efficiency heating and cooling equipment to non-business energy
property. Read more about these tax
credits available.
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I received a shipping tracking number but FedEx nor UPS show a current status
of my package(s)
Shipping labels for orders are generated the day before the
order is shipped in most cases. FedEx and UPS will show a current shipping
status once they actually pick up your order from our warehouse. If you
currently do not see a shipping status on the FedEx or UPS websites, wait until
the end of business day after your order was placed. You should be able
to inquire on the shipping status at that time.
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Can I return any unopened rolls of RadiantGUARD® for a refund?
Yes, please see our Return Policy
for information about the conditions under which we will accept a return for
a refund.
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