11/21/2023 0 Comments Attic radiant barrier insulation![]() ![]() As a result, it can transfer heat INTO your attic very effectively! Instead of reflecting radiant heat away from your attic, the barrier will conduct heat into the attic and achieve the opposite intended effect. The foil also happens to be a highly conductive material. If the radiant barrier is sandwiched against the surface and doesn’t have that air gap, it becomes a means of conduction. IMPROPER INSTALLATION: WHEN RADIANT BARRIERS ARE NO LONGER “RADIANT”įor radiant barriers to work properly, they need to face the source of radiant heat and have an air gap between the barrier and the source. What about those that incorrectly installed ones? That is the downside of having a correctly installed radiant barrier. So, you could very well get mold growth in your attic if it doesn’t stay warm enough during the summers. Sweating ducts result in a wet attic, and fungal matter thrives in moist environments. We can get very high dew points in the summer, and if the attic air is cool enough to cause duct surface temperatures to drop below that dew point, then your ducts will start sweating. The air at night tends to be cooler than during the day, and it can’t hold as much moisture at night, objects radiate their heat and cool down, so the water vapor in the air around those objects condenses and becomes the dew that we see in the mornings. The dew point is the temperature at which water vapor in the air starts to condense and become water (like dew). When radiant barriers keep your attic cooler, the duct surfaces get closer to the dew point. WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES OF HAVING A RADIANT BARRIER? That’s pretty much where the benefits end. Your attic won’t be climate-controlled (compared to a storage unit), but it won’t be nearly as hot. Department of Energy).Īlso, if you happen to store things in the attic, you’ll be able to keep them cooler. In a warm and sunny climate like ours in Central Florida, you could see a 5-10% reduction in your cooling costs ( per the U.S. When installed correctly, radiant barriers keep your attic cooler and significantly reduce your energy expenses during the summer. WHAT ARE THE UPSIDES OF HAVING A RADIANT BARRIER? Your roof will get hot, but the attic will be cooler than it would have been without the barrier. Radiant barriers consist of a highly reflective material to control radiation the idea is that heat will be absorbed into the dark roof tiles and be reflected by the barrier. The sun is just one example of radiant heat transfer our bodies also radiate heat, as does everything around us. Radiant heat can either be mostly reflected by lighter objects or mostly absorbed by darker ones. The heat that comes in through glass windows has entered our home through radiation the heat has passed through the glass via the sun’s electromagnetic waves, and we call it radiant heat. Radiation is what happens when heat travels on electromagnetic waves. ![]() We can control convection in our homes by sealing gaps and cracks between rooms and unconditioned spaces (like the attic, crawlspace, or outdoors). That’s because heat is traveling upwards through the air via convection. If you’re boiling water in a pot on the stove, you can hold your hand over it and feel warm. The thickness of walls and attic insulation help control heat in the attic via conduction.Ĭonvection happens when heat transfers within a fluid (vapor or liquid). When you hold a cup of hot coffee, your hands will start to warm up that’s conduction at work. Heat moves in three different ways: conduction, convection, and radiation.Ĭonduction is how heat moves between two objects that are touching each other. Whenever you have something that has a temperature over -460 degrees Fahrenheit, there will be some heat. Heat is the energy that causes molecules to move. This article will explain how they work, why improper installation renders them ineffective, and the challenges they pose for your HVAC system.īefore we can understand what a radiant barrier does, we need to understand what heat is. If you plan to include radiant barriers in a new construction home (or already have them in your home), you may want to learn a bit more about them. Other problems may arise from improper installation. However, there is a lot more to air conditioning than keeping buildings cool, and radiant barriers can pose unique challenges to your comfort. Theoretically, that would reduce your power bill. That sounds great, right? In theory, radiant barriers do seem useful for reducing the heat load during the summer. In doing so, these barriers keep the attic cooler by reflecting solar heat gains back to the roof. These foil-like sheets are “radiant barriers.” Their goal is to reflect some of the sun’s heat. ![]() Some attics have a foil-like material built into the structure, often on the plywood or draped over trusses under the roof decking.
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