A radiant barrier reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic.
Radiant barrier roof decking and insulation.
Radiant barrier paint performed the worse providing a heat decrease in the conditioned space of around 19.
For a picture of this in action you can check out the product listing on amazon.
A radiant barrier can be effective with an asphalt shingle roof only when installed inside the attic either to the underside of the roof decking or to the underside of the roof rafters.
When utilizing osb radiant barrier sheathing you can reflect up to 97 of solar radiation which translates into an attic heat reduction of up to 30 f.
A cooler attic space means less heat moving to the cooler space below the attic.
This reflection insulation also has high mechanical properties making it perfect for load bearing applications in construction.
A control study was published in 2013 showing the radiant barrier effectiveness of paint foil backed sheathing and foil that was stapled onto the rafters.
Which type of radiant barrier is best.
Radiant barrier installation attic radiant barrier installation most of the heat entering a home comes through the roof.
Radiant barrier sheathing should only be used in cooling climate zones 1 2 3.
The results were very telling.
Benefits of radiant barrier sheathing.
There is a misconception that if the heat is coming in through the roof shingles and.
Radiant barrier sheathing can only be retrofitted to existing homes when the roof is being replaced.
A radiant barrier works best when it is perpendicular to the radiant energy striking it.
Suitable applications include sheathing in walls flooring and roof decking.
In these attic space applications there is an air space below the radiant barrier.
Installed in over 2 million homes in the united states lp techshield panels also lower attic temperatures up to 30 f.
A radiant barrier is typically stapled to the bottom truss chords against the deck sheathing.
The hot roof material then radiates its gained heat energy onto the cooler attic surfaces including the air ducts and the attic floor.
It reduces attic temperatures by up to 30 degrees fahrenheit and it blocks up to 97 of radiant heat.
A radiant barrier must have an emissivity of 0 1 or less to be effective.
As the original 1 brand of radiant barrier sheathing lp techshield panels vaporvents technology prevents moisture buildup during and after construction while blocking up to 97 of radiant heat in roof panels.
It is installed with the foil facing the attic and must have air space minimum of in front of the foil to work and of course code required ventilation.
Radiant barrier applied either under the roof rafters or under the roof sheathing is probably the most common application of a radiant barrier but many homeowners shy away from it because they don t fully understand what radiant barrier is or how it works.