What is the Best Method For Installing a Radiant Barrier?

Author: Ed Fritz

Once you have decided to install radiant barrier, you have to determine which method of installation would suit your home best. Mainly, there are two criteria that should influence your decision: 1) The climatic conditions in your area and 2) Whether your attic has ductwork.

Two of the most common methods by which you can install radiant barrier are either stapling the attic foil to the bottom of your roof rafters or getting the radiant barrier foil insulation spread out over your existing batt or blown-in attic insulation.

In case you reside in a mixed or cold climate, getting the radiant barrier installed across the attic floor insulation is the easiest and most effective. When summer comes, it would reduce radiant heat gain into the home. When it's winter, it will lessen heat loss because of radiation and limit convective looping, which has to do with cold heavy air sinking through the attic insulation and reducing the insulation's R-Value. Don't forget, foil insulation ISN'T a replacement for regular attic insulation. They work in combination, decreasing both conductive as well as radiant heat flow.

If you reside in a warm or hot climate and there ISN'T any ductwork in your attic, then by all means install the radiant barrier attic foil on top of your existing insulation. This happens to be the best option to minimize summer heat gain and winter heat loss. Make sure you have adequate insulation BEFORE you add radiant barrier. After you have laid out the radiant barrier over the blown-in insulation, you can't put more insulation on top. This will take away the advantage you get from your radiant barrier, which requires an air space on one side of the foil to function effectively.

However, if there IS ductwork in the attic, then the staple-up method is preferable. Let's look at it this way - if you put ductwork in your attic, it's similar to making ice cream using the oven. By stapling the foil to the bottom of the rafters, you get the benefit of reducing radiant heat inflow into the attic insulation AS WELL AS bringing down the attic temperature. By keeping the attic temperature down, less heat will be transferred INTO the ductwork due to conductive heat flow. Additionally, it feels extremely cool when you stroll into your attic on a hot summer day and it feels much more comfortable compared to being inside an oven.

Any of the methods of installing radiant barrier works well. Where the climate is hot/warm, it's a question of what's easiest and if you have duct work. When you staple radiant barrier to the base of the roof rafters, you will get a cool attic, put the ductwork in a more favorable environment AND reduce radiant heat gain into your home. The staple-up method results in the minimum overall heat gain into your home. Both of these methods of installing radiant barrier is going to make your home feel more comfy and save you money on your utility bills.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/what-is-the-best-method-for-installing-a-radiant-barrier-1489271.html

About the Author:
Ed Fritz is the owner of www.AtticFoil.com. His passion is to help homeowners make their homes more comfortable and energy efficient. He has helped literally thousands of customers by sharing his first hand experiences using radiant barrier foil . To learn more about Ed and how radiant barrier foil can help cut your energy bill, visit his blog at The Radiant Barrier Guru .

Home Insulation - Turn Your House Environment Friendly in Just 3 Steps

Author: Diya Kapoor

High heating bills can be a thing of past if you take these 3 home insulation steps. Home insulation installs capability to control heat movement by sealing gaps that are catalyst to air leakage and heat leakage. You may not be aware but there are several holes or gaps such as cavities in walls, gaps in attic, keyholes, spaces around doors and windows, floors which is responsible for fluctuation of temperature. For this reason, you need to produce carbon dioxide based heat to interior climate warm. But, this is necessary when your house is not insulated or inadequately insulated. Hence, once you adopt proper insulation strategies your building will reduce requirement for CO2 based heat, heating use and utility bills cause by electricity consumption for heating use. Here are three effective home insulation strategies to lessen energy bills this winter:

1. Insulate your attic – The attic is a major source for loss of heat and also one of the most convenient areas to get in and access. Your attic must have minimum 12 inches or 250mm of insulation as per current recommendation. One can install paperless rolls of home insulation coating on top of existing insulation made up of either cellulose or vermiculate. These kinds of insulation materials have tendency to "compact" over time, mitigating their efficiency of insulation. When you notice that icicles formed on the eaves of roof area it proves that warm air in the area is melting snow making water runoff to re-freeze. This means, your attic needs to be insulated until the air is felt very cold there.

2. Apply weather-stripping around windows and doors – Substantial amount of heat can be lost via spaces and holes around doors and windows area. Recent weather-stripping home insulation materials are sold at lower rates but have shown good results in minimizing loss of warmth and money is warming outside air. These materials are not difficult to install so that you can ‘do it yourself’ quite easily. You only need to assure temperature level must be above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. To maximise efficacy of these insulation materials for a prolonged period, make sure the area is dry and clean.

3. Select expansion foam to insulate small spaces – Expansion foam based home insulation materials have shown utmost benefits when fitted in small gaps or openings letting hot air outside. These areas can be small openings that allow plumbing pipes enters into house, little spaces beneath electric switch plates, gaps created for running cable, internet and electricity connection lines. Since, these small spaces in total radiate great quantity of heat to escape from house, therefore, filling these spaces with home insulation will save a lot of money and energy resources. You should not also ignore your basement areas from the list of areas should receive home insulation measures as crawlspaces and home basements comprise numerous small openings allow heat leakage. Recycled paper based home insulation materials work the best for filling up these gaps.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/home-insulation-turn-your-house-environment-friendly-in-just-3-steps-1026837.html

About the Author:
An article author Diya Kapoor is providing information about home insulation and cavity wall insulation . Home insulation grants are now available to insulate your homes. I have also taken insulation grants for my home and really enjoying it.