Expensive energy bills? Hot second floors?
Find out if radiant barriers are a solution for your attic.
June 29, 2020
With so many insulation types available for Charlotte area homeowners looking to improve their home comfort and reduce their heating and cooling costs, it can be understandably confusing to know which might be the best for you.
One of the categories of insulation you may have heard about is radiant barriers. If you’re unfamiliar with what exactly radiant barrier insulation is, and are wondering what the benefits of radiant barriers are, we’re here to help sort you out.
What is Radiant Barrier Insulation?
Radiant barriers are made of a highly reflective aluminum material. When installed, radiant barriers separate to form an enclosed airspace, offering multiple layers of protection.
Radiant barriers are designed to slow or prevent radiant heat transfer. When the sun beats down in the summer, it heats your shingles and that heat conducts through the building materials of your roof, where it then radiates down through your attic space.
With radiant barrier installation on your roof rafters and attic walls, the heat is stopped before it can radiate into your attic space and throughout your home, helping your other attic insulation work more effectively. In the winter, radiant barriers will stop the heat inside your heat from escaping your home, making it a year-round home performance solution.
So could your attic benefit from radiant barrier insulation? Here are a few indicators it may be the right fit.
You Have High Energy Bills
High energy bills are likely an indication that a significant portion of the conditioned air from your heating and cooling system is being wasted or lost as the result of poor insulation. By installing a radiant barrier in your attic, you can help reduce the amount of time your HVAC system needs to run to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, saving you money and lowering your monthly energy bills.
You Have a Consistently Hot Second Floor
Do you dread heading upstairs on a hot summer afternoon, because you know it will be significantly warmer than the first floor? This is a classic sign of insufficient insulation (and poor air sealing) in your attic. If too much heat is radiating into your attic space, it will likely find ways to get into the top levels of your home as well. A radiant barrier in your attic helps keep temperatures more even throughout your home.
Your HVAC System Is Always Running on High
Does it feel like you are always cranking your thermostat up to try to make your home comfortable? Whether it’s an AC that has to run constantly in the summer or a furnace that is always on in the winter, you could be paying for warm or cool air that doesn’t even stick around long enough to keep you comfy.
Radiant barrier insulation in your attic can help reduce the stress on your heating and cooling systems, which will not only require less energy to run, but can also reduce the frequency of repair calls and extend the lifespan of your HVAC equipment.
Upgrade Your Home with Standard Insulating Company
When you call a quality radiant barrier insulation company like Standard Insulating Company, you’ll be speaking to home performance experts who want to find the right solution for your specific problems in the unique home you have. Every home is different, and we don’t use a cookie-cutter approach to solve comfort and energy bill issues. If we don’t genuinely believe you’ll benefit the most from radiant barriers, we won’t recommend them!
If you’re looking to add radiant heat barriers and insulation upgrades to your home, but aren’t sure where to start, schedule a free energy analysis. We’ll take a thorough and comprehensive look at your home, and help you pinpoint exactly where the pain points are. Using the results of our analysis, we’ll explain why and where your home isn’t performing as it should, as well as give you our best recommendations for home improvements that will make a difference in your comfort and energy usage.