Asked by: Marcelina Dubreuil
home and garden indoor environmental quality

How much does a radiant barrier help?

25
Radiant barriers are more effective in hot climates than in cool climates, especially when cooling air ducts are located in the attic. Some studies show that radiant barriers can reduce cooling costs 5% to 10% when used in a warm, sunny climate.


In this manner, how much does a radiant barrier save?

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory found an average $80 savings per year with the radiant barrier alone and a $670 per year savings when coupled with insulating air ducts and adding insulation through tests in Atlanta, which shares the same climate zone as Charlotte.

Beside above, do you need insulation with radiant barrier? Insulation is great at reducing convective heat transfer, while also reducing some radiant and conductive heat transfer as well. This allows the radiant barrier to reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter, thus reducing the net heating and cooling needs of the structure.

Beside this, how long does radiant barrier last?

ten years

Can aluminum foil be used as a radiant barrier?

Aluminum foil has the radiant barrier properties of high reflectivity and low emissivity. That means the foil reflects much of the roof's heat back upward. You can usually purchase the radiant barrier foil in 4- or 5-foot-wide rolls. You just staple it up under the rafters.

Related Question Answers

Beauty Buraquinho

Professional

Does Radiant Barrier affect WIFI?

In general, installing a radiant barrier in your attic (or on your roof) will not affect your cell phone's signal. Bottom line: usually installing a radiant barrier does not cause any problems with cell phone reception.

Eliceo Gasolo

Professional

Is Radiant Barrier worth the money?

Some studies show that radiant barriers can reduce cooling costs 5% to 10% when used in a warm, sunny climate. The reduced heat gain may even allow for a smaller air conditioning system. In cool climates, however, it's usually more cost-effective to install more thermal insulation than to add a radiant barrier.

Sheela Gopivallabha

Professional

Do radiant barriers actually work?

The radiant barrier creates a cooler attic which helps reduce cooling costs. There are also some comfort improvements. Overall, when installed properly radiant barriers can provide reduced energy costs and cooler attics. The sheathing products are pretty cost effective because they add little additional cost.

Jianlin Raifikesht

Explainer

Is Radiant Barrier better than insulation?

With insulation, a higher R-value means more effective insulation. The insulation we are talking about is made of fiberglass and is commonly found in most homes. A radiant barrier, on the other hand, actually blocks and reflects heat back to where it came from, rather than just slowing down the process.

Alizee Gschwend

Explainer

Does spray on radiant barrier really work?

The best radiant barrier spray spray is only available to commercial contractors, and is an environmentally safe, water-based low-e paint called HeatBloc-75, Radiance e. 25 or Lo/MIT. When the paint is installed correctly, it will reflect about 75% of the radiant heat and can be a very good product.

Dollie Vannovsky

Explainer

Does radiant barrier work in summer?

Benefits of Radiant Barrier Sheathing
A cooler attic space means less heat moving to the cooler space below the attic. The hotter it gets the better radiant barriers work. Radiant barrier roof sheathing helps to improve comfort in the building interior during the warm summer months and reduces energy costs.

Carmem Faro

Pundit

Can Radiant Barrier cause mold?

It causes rot, mold, and it traps moisture in the insulation. Even without the radiant barrier, that moisture can still cause serious issues. I've seen plenty of moldy, totally rotted out rafters and roof sheathing.

Hasier Knippsschild

Pundit

Do I need a radiant barrier with a metal roof?

If you are installing any type of roof that has an air space (either built in by the shape of the tiles or because of a batten system), then you should most definitely install a radiant barrier! These types of roofs are usually clay tile or slate roofs, metal shingle roofs & some standing seam metal roofs.

Zhijun Saladrigas

Pundit

Which radiant barrier is the best?

Our Selection of The 5 Best Radiant Barriers:
  1. Radiant Barrier Insulation by RadiantGUARD.
  2. 1000 sqft Diamond Radiant Barrier Solar Attic Foil Reflective Insulation.
  3. Reflectix ST16025 Staple Tab Insulation.
  4. 1000sqft (4ft Wide) of NASA TECH Commercial Grade Perforated No Tear Green Energy Radiant Barrier.

Dortha Sorgel

Pundit

Will radiant barrier damage shingles?

By blocking the mass insulation from absorbing heat and emitting it back to the roof, a radiant barrier can decrease the roof temperature at night by over 5 degrees. In short, radiant barrier should not void any shingle manufacturer's warranty and will not damage roof shingles or any other roofing material.

Yating Kouma

Pundit

Which way should radiant barrier face?

Research by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) found that radiant barriers work best when installed with foil-face down (towards the building interior) and applied under the roof sheathing.

Florbela Nusuev

Teacher

What is the R value of radiant barrier?

What is the R-value of your radiant barrier? Radiant barrier on its own has NO R-value; R-value is attributed to materials slowing conductive heat. AtticFoil™ works to block radiant heat (97%) coming in to the attic by stapling it to the rafters, but it has no R-value.

Bhrigu Hani

Teacher

Do radiant barriers work in cold climates?

In cold climates, the preferred installation method is laying radiant barrier foil over the insulation on the attic floor to keep heat in during the cold months and to help block heat in hotter months. This type of installation is easier than the conventional staple-up method, but it also has some precautions.

Crescencia Yturbe

Teacher

How much is radiant barrier cost?

Cost of radiant barrier
In general, you can expect to pay between 10 and 25 cents for every square foot of material you purchase, for single-side barriers. Double-sided barriers can cost as much as 50 cents per square foot. In real numbers, a 1,500 square foot attic space can cost between $225 and $750.

Aventina Jacue

Teacher

Does Radiant Barrier attract lightning?

Radiant barrier sheathing (RBS) is an extremely efficient ignition source for structure fires and it exhibits some most unusual (even strange) behavior patterns. A roof constructed with RBS material appears to actually attract lightning.

Manzoor Pandian

Reviewer

Can Reflectix be used as a vapor barrier?

Place one corner edge of the Reflectix® in an upper corner of the stud cavity. The Goal: Create two approximately equal continuous 1 3/4” air spaces on each side of the Reflectix® Insulation. This application also provides a vapor/moisture barrier.

Igarki Riehlein

Reviewer

Does foil insulation really work?

This works well for most insulation materials, because conduction is the main way they prevent the movement of heat. Foil insulation works slightly differently, however. It means that foil insulation is going to have a higher U-value, but may well perform better than expected in the real world.

Rosemarie Sarramian

Reviewer

How do you install radiant barrier insulation?

Installation Summary:
  1. Install unfaced mass insulation between rafters ensuring a minimum of 1" ventilation space between the mass insulation and the underside of the roof decking.
  2. Unroll and staple reflective insulation to the under side of the rafters.
  3. Seal all seams with aluminum foil tape.

Beula Korff

Reviewer

How well does reflective insulation work?

Most common thermal insulation materials (like fiberglass) work by slowing conductive heat flow, but reflective insulation works a little differently. Reflective insulation, installed in the attic ceiling, reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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12th April, 2020

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