Outside of the mortgage and food costs, energy usage is one of the largest expenses you or most people will have to pay on a monthly basis. A large chunk of that energy bill is constituted to the heating and cooling of your house. Between the monetary cost and a willingness to become greener, improving the temperature control of a home is likely a huge goal of yours and this is where radiant barrier insulation comes into play. Please use this site as a primer to radiant barrier.
What is Radiant Barrier Heat and Insulation?
Radiant heat is the energy that you feel coming from an object. Think about the difference between asphalt on a hot and cool day. Notice how you can feel more of the warmth coming from the ground on days with higher temperatures, this is radiant heat. It is important because of your home’s ability to absorb energy. In a way you can apply the same concept of the asphalt to your home in that it absorbs energy and reemits it into the internal air space inside, you can feel it most in the Attic.
Installing some radiant barrier protection is the way to combat such problems. The term barrier is important because this kind of insulation keeps the summer warmth and winter cold out so that you can keep a steady temperature in your home while not wasting energy battling the weather.
Where is Radiant Barrier Typically Installed in the Home?
The attic or crawl space is the most likely place to install a radiant barrier as it is the area of the home that suffers the worst heat transfer. For older homes, retrofitting radiant foil is typically the best way to go. It can be installed on the inside of the attic walls using the rafters that support the roof. If your home is just being built or under going major repair, a radiant barrier can also be applied in the walls and the floor, however, this can be quiet costly in the case of retrofitting an existing home and may only be worth it in certain cases. A radiant barrier can also be installed over the top of older insulation.
How Will This Effect Other Insulation in the Home?
Basically, it won’t. Other forms of insulation, such as rock wool and fiberglass, protect against convection and conduction and are still very much recommended in addition to radiant barrier installations.
What Different Forms of Radiant Barrier Exist?
There are a number of different kinds of radiant barrier installations to choose from on the market, all of which can be handled on your own but you may also wish to hire a professional. The various types of radiant insulation are outlined below.
Foil: By far the most popular and useful of the radiant barrier insulations, installing foil insulation is the best way to get the most bang for your buck. Installation requires at least 3/4” of air space on at least one side of it to be effective and make sure to buy it perforated as it keeps the foil from causing condensation and the accompanying water damage. Also, keep in mind that while radiant barrier foil is made of aluminum it is not the same as the aluminum you use in the kitchen. Also, the foil will collect dust and will need to either be cleaned some how or replaced. RadiantGUARD is probably the most widely known and respected producer of radiant barrier foils, followed by Arma Foil and Techshield.
Paints: A more affordable form of radiant insulation, different color low-e paints can be purchased and applied to either the inside or outside of the home. It is generally most effective when used on solid surfaces, particularly in the attic or basement. Be careful to check how reflective the radiant barrier paint is before purchasing it. If it is below 90% or unspecified then it may very well not be radiant barrier at all and thus less or non-effective. KoolCoat is the most popular producer of this kind of paint.
Spray Foam: These are fun because you can spray this stuff like spray paint. It’s sticky, messy, and can be the cheapest priced of all other options. In addition to its radiant qualities, it can also be used to seal some cracks and other sources of air leaks in the home. Installation of this kind of radiant barrier is probably best left to a contractor and will require re-spraying every few years for optimal efficiency.
What Features Should I Look For in Radiant Barriers?
Emissivity is the key feature to look at as it determines how well a product will reflect heat. A low number such as between .03 and .05 is ideal and indicates a higher rate of reflection. Any emissivity value below a .1 will work but the lower the better.
In addition, any sort of insulation needs to be to allow water vapor to properly transfer through it in order to avoid condensation. As previously mentioned, this condensation can then lead to water damage and more costly repairs, which would be unfortunate if you were looking to save money.
Further Reading and Additional Resources
Radiant barrier insulation is a costly project for most home owners and because of this price you should be as well informed as possible before you purchase. In addition to our quick help guide, there are number of other sources for radiant barrier information. You should probably check out the Department of Energy’s fact sheet for a greater understanding about radiant energy, how it effects the home, and ways to reduce it. Some expanded FAQs can also be viewed here and here as well.