How Does Attic Radiant Barrier Work

Department of energy the radiant barrier s ability to lower heat transfer keeps attic spaces cooler by up to 30 degrees which can help curb energy costs.

How does attic radiant barrier work. Radiant barriers are utilized to reduce summer heat gain in attics and help to improve the efficiency of green building envelopes. This is typically done when you purchase a new roof or when the house is being built. A radiant barrier works best when it is perpendicular to the radiant energy striking it. A radiant barrier reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic.

For example most homes don t have enough insulation to start with. If the radiant barrier was not there the sun would heat the roofing materials and the heat transfer would occur into the air of the attic. Radiant barriers can trap moisture in your attic because they don t have any way to regulate the moisture. Also the greater the temperature difference between the sides of the radiant barrier material the greater the benefits a radiant barrier can offer.

A radiant barrier is designed to increase the effectiveness of your thermal envelope. The perforations insure that moisture emitting from the house will not condense below the membrane. By reducing the amount of radiant heat reaching the insulation in your attic the insulation remains cooler and is able to keep your home more comfortable. A radiant barrier will be installed as a way to prevent your home from absorbing radiant heat in the environment causing it to reduce the amount of heat in your home as a result.

This can help improve the efficiency of in attic hvac units and reduce the tonnage of the entire system. Unlike fiberglass or cellulose insulation radiant barriers do little to prevent the conduction of heat or cold through the air and have no r value. It is meant to supplement insulation not replace it. Installing 19 inches of batt insulation or 22 of blown in is the single most cost effective way to reduce your heating and cooling costs.

Unlike traditional thick layers of insulation radiant barrier is a thin reflective material. In essence the foil barrier reduces convection into the attic from roofing materials that are heated by the sun. According to the u s. However there is a highly reflective perforated radiant barrier specifically designed and tested on cold climates.

Radiant barriers work by reflecting the heat coming through your roof on sunny summer days. Does attic radiant barrier work. The answer is that there are other things you can do that would be more effective in terms of energy efficiency. This thin reflective material is designed to bounce the sun s heat away from your home instead of allowing your attic to absorb the heat and pass it into your home.