Facts About Radiant Barrier

Are you looking for a greener way to beat the heat this summer? Would you like to save money on your cooling bill? Does cooling efficiency matter to you? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, consider contacting Alpine Roofing Construction, your Oklahoma City roofer. In addition to fulfilling your residential roofing needs, the experts at Alpine can install a reflective insulation system like a radiant barrier that will cool your home.

In order to understand how these barriers work, you should know how heat travels into your home. Conduction, convection, and radiation are all ways that heat travels:

  • Conduction is the transfer of heat from a warm area to a colder area.
  • When air is heated, it loses density and rises; this is convection.
  • Radiant heat is generated by direct exposure to the sun’s rays.

Most residential roofing insulation is designed to inhibit the transfer of conductive and convective heat. Alternative radiation barriers address radiant heat generated by the sun and consequently may be a more effective deterrent to heat in the summer months.

Your roof is heated by radiant energy generated by the sun. Conduction transfers the heat from your roof into cooler spaces in the attic such as ventilation systems and the floor through conduction. This causes your homes to be hotter.

Reflective insulation systems are shiny. This is so that they can deflect the sun’s rays and prevent the conductive heating of cooler spaces in the home. Consequently, these barriers should be installed in a perpendicular manner directly against the radiant energy source. According to estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency, these types of barriers lower home air conditioning costs by 5% to 10% and put less strain on cooling systems.

The typical radiant barrier is made of aluminum foil wrapped around cardboard, kraft paper, or plastic. In new homes, these barriers are placed between roof rafters before sheathing is added. It’s important to use qualified installers during this process because the reflective insulation system is capable of conducting electricity and only a qualified technician knows how to avoid exposing the material to electrical wiring and is experienced working in attic rafters.

If this type of insulation appeals to you, call Alpine Roofing Construction at 214-528-9897 to schedule an inspection today.

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