Radiant barriers are single sheets placed facing air spaces to reflect solar radiation and heat. Reflective insulation uses multiple layers and air spaces to create a thermal barrier that resists conductive, convective, and radiant heat flow.
Certified attic specialists recommend installing a radiant barrier. A radiant barrier reflects the sun's rays away from your home, preventing your insulation from becoming another heat source. It keeps your house cool and your cooling costs at bay.
The Reflectix® Radiant Barrier is an excellent upgrade for making a residential structure more energy efficient. The product is primarily installed in attic systems to reduce the transfer of radiant energy through the roof (resulting in lower attic temperatures) to the attic floor.
Simply put, the biggest possible problem with any kind of radiant barrier is dust. To understand why dust creates issues for all kinds of radiant barriers, it's important to understand how they work: Radiation transfers heat directly outward from an energy source.
Reflective insulation is a material with reflective facing—typical materials are foil-faced kraft paper, plastic film, polyethylene bubbles or cardboard. Radiant barrier insulation consists of a reflective material (generally aluminum foil) and can be combined with other materials in reflective insulation systems.
As long as homeowners or certified attic specialists install them appropriately, radiant barriers last anywhere from 80 to 100 years. They are built to last and won't cause significant issues for decades.
This is because an air gap provides an additional layer of insulation that helps to prevent heat from passing through the barrier and into the living space. If you are installing a radiant barrier, it's recommended to leave an air gap of at least 25mm (1 inch) between the barrier and the surface it's installed on.
Installing a radiant barrier costs $1,700 on average, but often ranges between $710 and $2,840 depending on whether your pro uses a foil or spray on type.
With Wi-Fi signals, unless the radiant barrier is between you and the router, there is unlikely to be any impact.
For either a reflective insulation or a radiant barrier, an air space is required on the reflective side of the product. (Most Reflectix® products are reflective (shiny) on both sides.)
Eligible Insulation Products for Tax Credits
These products typically include fiberglass, cellulose, foam board, spray foam, and radiant barrier insulation. Proper installation is also key to qualifying for these valuable credits.
The best way to make the heat convert to radiant heat is to make it cross an air space. This is why the radiant barrier is most effective when placed closest to the outside of the wall.
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.
House insulation: The most effective insulation
So having in mind that spray foam, fiberglass, and cellulose are the three mostly used insulation materials we made a comparison, and here are the results: Spray foam has by far the highest R-value, which is crucial for homes in extremely cold climates.
This type of insulation is most effective in warmer climates, but can also be used for comfort and energy savings in cold weather. The radiant-barrier insulation is attached to roof rafters, floor joists, and wall studs to reduce radiant heat flow, mostly from the outside in, but also from the inside out.
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.
The tests to date have shown that in attics with R-19 insulation, radiant barriers can reduce summer ceiling heat gains by about 16 to 42 percent compared to an attic with the same insulation level and no radiant barrier.
In general, a radiant barrier is a reflective sheet which encompasses a middle reinforcement layer, referred to as a "scrim" that gives the product strength and durability. The thickness of a radiant barrier is usually between 3 and 5 mils (thousandths of an inch).
If you're planning a home remodel, reflective foil insulation is an option that you should really consider. It's highly effective at reducing heat transfer, easy to install, thin and lightweight, and can help prevent moisture buildup and condensation.
The product provides a vapor/moisture barrier, which is a strong contributor to the efficiency of the system. Reflectix® is available in convenient roll sizes which contributes to ease of handling and installation.
Aside from central heating and cooling, there are two different kinds of building materials commonly used to perform this task: insulation and radiant barriers. While both perform the same function—keeping your home at a reasonable temperature—the ways this is done vary greatly between the two.
Unlike mass insulation, reflective insulation is able to keep heat in and reflect heat away. Mass insulation material like fiberglass and foam merely slow down the transfer of heat; they do not reflect heat away, nor do they keep heat in. Reflective insulation has the ability to control the transfer of radiant heat.
Therefore, when installing foil faced insulation always fit the foil side where the temperature difference is greatest. So, any time you use a single side foil insulation, the foil needs to be facing toward the living space.