With the advent of newer and more efficient green building products, it is still somewhat of a surprise to find that builders are still using many of the materials originally developed in the early 1900s. Today there is a bevy of improved energy efficient insulation, such as spray foam, recycled denim cellulose and radiant barriers. Oddly enough, radiant barriers are not exactly insulation, as insulation is designed to slow the thermal transfer into the living quarters of a building.
When rolls of radiant barrier sheeting, which are composed of foil, are unrolled and installed in either an attic or crawl space under a home it is designed to prevent the outside temperatures from entering the home. The manner in which the radiant barrier works is similar to that of a foil wrapped baked potato and is based on technology highly implemented by NASA. As strange as this may sound, the use of radiant barriers is highly effective.
Unlike all other insulations, which receive an R-value indicating the thermal resistance of the insulation, radiant barriers are assigned different values. These values are emissivity and reflectivity. Emissivity or emittance refers to how much energy in the form of heat is radiated from the membrane. The lower the emittance rating; the better performance can be gained from a radiant barrier.
Closely related is the reflectivity of the foil barrier even though it may not be visually reflective. The reflectivity refers to the amount of energy is reflected away from the membrane. Reflectivity is rated from 0-1 or listed as a percentage up to 100%. The higher the percentage; the more effective the barrier will be. As the reflectivity rating increases the emissivity rating will decrease. A high reflectivity and low emissivity rating is most desirable.
New construction in progress will allow the installation of the barrier to be faster and easier. That does not mean that these barriers can not be installed in existing homes. While clearances will be tighter in a completed building, a home can be retrofitted with a radiant barrier membrane. The investment will be more expensive, but should come in well under what adding other traditional types of insulation would cost.
It is important to note that there are different types and quality of radiant barriers. Some are double sided, while others may be perforated. An example of this would be installing a perforated barrier in an area prone to high humidity, thereby allowing the environment to breathe in order to prevent mold. Installing a perforated membrane will not defeat the purpose of a radiant barrier. Depending upon the specific conditions present, an experienced and qualified installer like Utility Improvements may make recommendations on how you can lower your utility bills today by insulating your home.
When rolls of radiant barrier sheeting, which are composed of foil, are unrolled and installed in either an attic or crawl space under a home it is designed to prevent the outside temperatures from entering the home. The manner in which the radiant barrier works is similar to that of a foil wrapped baked potato and is based on technology highly implemented by NASA. As strange as this may sound, the use of radiant barriers is highly effective.
Unlike all other insulations, which receive an R-value indicating the thermal resistance of the insulation, radiant barriers are assigned different values. These values are emissivity and reflectivity. Emissivity or emittance refers to how much energy in the form of heat is radiated from the membrane. The lower the emittance rating; the better performance can be gained from a radiant barrier.
Closely related is the reflectivity of the foil barrier even though it may not be visually reflective. The reflectivity refers to the amount of energy is reflected away from the membrane. Reflectivity is rated from 0-1 or listed as a percentage up to 100%. The higher the percentage; the more effective the barrier will be. As the reflectivity rating increases the emissivity rating will decrease. A high reflectivity and low emissivity rating is most desirable.
New construction in progress will allow the installation of the barrier to be faster and easier. That does not mean that these barriers can not be installed in existing homes. While clearances will be tighter in a completed building, a home can be retrofitted with a radiant barrier membrane. The investment will be more expensive, but should come in well under what adding other traditional types of insulation would cost.
It is important to note that there are different types and quality of radiant barriers. Some are double sided, while others may be perforated. An example of this would be installing a perforated barrier in an area prone to high humidity, thereby allowing the environment to breathe in order to prevent mold. Installing a perforated membrane will not defeat the purpose of a radiant barrier. Depending upon the specific conditions present, an experienced and qualified installer like Utility Improvements may make recommendations on how you can lower your utility bills today by insulating your home.
Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Utility Improvements. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.
