Does Attic Radiant Barrier Work

Overall when installed properly radiant barriers can provide reduced energy costs and cooler attics.

Does attic radiant barrier work. The radiant barrier creates a cooler attic which helps reduce cooling costs. 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. According to the department of energy installing radiant barrier on the floor of the attic can cause problems. In short yes attic radiant barrier does work.

A radiant barrier reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic. These thin highly reflective layers aren t designed to slow heat transfer they reflect it away before it radiates into your attic and home. It is meant to supplement insulation not replace it. Radiant barriers can reduce attic temperatures 20 degrees to 35 degrees.

Don t install a radiant foil barrier on top of attic insulation since condensation can form under it even on perforated foil resulting in a buildup of moisture which can reduce the effectiveness of insulation and cause moisture damage. It isn t the time tested fiberglass rolls of pink insulation. A radiant barrier can lower heat transfer from attics to the building below keep the attic space cooler and lower cooling costs by up to 17 in warmer climates. Radiant barriers are utilized to reduce summer heat gain in attics and help to improve the efficiency of green building envelopes.

A radiant barrier is designed to increase the effectiveness of your thermal envelope. Foil radiant barriers can be applied on top of rafters in new construction before the roof sheathing is installed or on the underside of rafters on houses with an existing roof. Now there is a newer better radiant barrier product called srx superreflex. A radiant barrier works best when it is perpendicular to the radiant energy striking it.

Damp insulation may support mold growth and eventually will lose some of its r value. Also the greater the temperature difference between the sides of the radiant barrier material the greater the benefits a radiant barrier can offer. 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. With new types of technology and approaches to keep homes comfortable it s natural to wonder if attic radiant barrier works.

If your house doesn t have continuous ridge and soffit vents so it s trapping excess heat in the attic that s a very cost effective improvement. We only say radiant barrier doesn t work because we know of a product that works even better and can save you over twice as much as current radiant barrier technology. Ultimately a hotter attic means more work that your attic insulation and ductwork needs to put in. In essence the foil barrier reduces convection into the attic from roofing materials that are heated by the sun.

There are also some comfort improvements.