Why are Radiant Barriers useful for my home?

If you’ve been looking into ways to make your attic more energy-efficient, you may have come across insulation, air sealing and radiant barrier technology. Radiant barriers are one of the best and most innovative ways to take control of the temperature in your home. Understanding what a radiant barrier is and why it works can help you save hundreds on your electricity bills.

What is a radiant barrier?

Radiant barriers are materials that are installed in buildings to reduce summer heat gain and, less important for us in South Florida, winter heat loss - so overall to reduce building heating and cooling energy usage. A radiant barrier is a material that reflects heat away from your home which can be a very useful feature for homes that are exposed to the hot South Florida sun all year round. 

Radiant barriers are usually made of aluminum foil, but can also be made of other reflective materials. The most common type of radiant barrier is installed in the attic, where it reflects heat away from the living space below.

Radiant barriers work by reflecting heat back towards its source. In the case of an attic, this means reflecting heat back outside to your North Broward & Boca surroundings. This can help to keep your home more comfortable year-round, and can also help you save money on your energy bills. Radiant barriers are an excellent way to improve the energy-efficiency of your home.

How do Radiant Barriers work?

Heat travels from a warm area to a cool area by a combination of conduction, convection, and radiation. Radiant barriers block radiant heat energy instead of absorbing it like conventional mass insulations (fiberglass, cellulose).  In addition, radiant barriers are unaffected by humidity and will continue to perform at a consistent level no matter how humid the seasonal climate. 

The radiant heat from the South Florida sun can cause your attic to become extremely hot, potentially damaging your insulation, A/C ductwork, and even the ceilings and walls of your home. To prevent this, it's important to take measures to keep your attic cooler, such as radiant barriers. Radiant heat from the sun is one of the leading causes of attic heat build-up. When the sun's rays hit your roof, they heat up the shingles, plywood decking, trusses, walls, and other materials. These materials then radiate their own heat in all directions, half of which goes back outside but the other half continues into the attic space. This heats up the insulation in the attic, the floor, and the drywall that makes up your ceiling. Eventually, the heat penetrates into the living space, including all of the A/C ductwork that carries cool air throughout your home.

Radiant barriers are an effective way to reduce heat gain in your home, especially in our hot climates. By reflecting heat away from your home, these barriers can help keep your air conditioning costs down. Some studies have shown that radiant barriers can reduce cooling costs by up to 10%. If you live in a warm climate, using a radiant barrier can be a great way to keep your home cooler and more comfortable.

Radiant barriers are most effective when used in conjunction with other forms of insulation, such as reflective insulation. By using both methods, you can create a more energy-efficient home that will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. If you're looking for ways to reduce your energy costs, radiant barriers are a great option.

Are radiant barriers important?

Radiant barriers are the first steps to block radiant heat coming in from the sun. Your attic floor insulation is the second step which blocks conductive heat flow to the rooms below. Radiant barriers are placed on the attic floor and work to reflect heat back toward the roof, leaving the top surface of the insulation cooler. This helps to improve the overall efficiency of your insulation and reduces the amount of heat moving through your insulation to the rooms below the ceiling. Radiant barrier products actually make your attic insulation work better, if you're looking to save hundreds on your energy bills then you should most definitely consider a combination of insulation and radiant barriers for your home. Insulation + Radiant Barrier = lower energy costs!

What are the characteristics of a radiant barrier

Radiant barriers are usually made of a highly reflective material, often aluminum foil, which is applied to one or both sides of a number of substrate materials such as kraft paper, plastic films, cardboard, oriented strand board, and air infiltration barrier material. The surface is typically a very thin, mirror-like aluminum foil. The foil may be coated for resistance to the elements or for abrasion resistance and the radiant barrier can be one- or two-sided. One-sided radiant barrier may be attached to insulating materials, some products are fiber-reinforced to increase durability and ease of handling. Unlike conventional insulation, radiant barriers are not rated by their R-value as their performance depends on too many different variables. Radiant barriers can be used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings and for both new constructions and retrofit applications. A properly functioning radiant barrier offers incredible value. They’re a low-cost solution that complements the benefits of other insulation throughout your home.

What should a radiant barrier installation cost? And who should install it?

The cost of a radiant barrier will depend on how it is installed. If the homeowner installs the radiant barrier, it will be less expensive than if a contractor installs it but the effectiveness might not be the same as the correct installation is very important. 

The location of the radiant barrier affects the price as well as it can be installed on the attic floor or on the ceiling. If the radiant barrier is installed on the attic floor, it will usually be less expensive than if it is installed on the rafters. The cost of installing a radiant barrier will further vary depending on whether it is being installed in a new home or an existing home, and on the desired extra features. If the radiant barrier is being installed in a new home, the cost will be lower than if it were being installed in an existing home, as no retrofit measures will be necessary. If desired, extra features such as perforations and reinforcements can increase the cost of the radiant barrier. In an existing home, the cost of installing a radiant barrier will be higher, as retrofit measures such as adding venting may be necessary. However, the addition of a radiant barrier can still result in significant energy savings.

Finally, remember that a radiant barrier only works when it is clean and shiny, which preserves its reflectivity. If it gets dirty or dusty during construction or during operation, it stops working as a radiant barrier and works more like a typical surface.

If you have been looking into installing radiant barriers do not hesitate and call us, we will not only properly install your radiant barriers but we will help you decide on where they would work best in your specific home. Contact us today at Koala Insulation of North Broward & Boca and take advantage of our free insulation evaluation.