| The term radiant barrier refers to a reflective | | | | thermal radiation that passes through your |
| coating that is typically applied to the underside of | | | | insulation and makes your house warmer. Radiant |
| the roof, there are however several different | | | | barrier is primarily designed to keep heat out and |
| types and different ways that it can be installed. | | | | does not show significant benefits in reducing |
| The two major types are spray on and sheet | | | | heating costs for people living in cold climates. |
| barriers. Sheet radiant barrier comes in large roles | | | | That being said, it can make a major difference |
| that you then roll out in your attic. This can be laid | | | | on roofs in southern states and dramatically |
| directly on top of your insulation, nailed to the | | | | decrease your cooling bills. The reflective metal in |
| bottom of the roof, or hung from your rafter | | | | the barrier will prevent the heat on the outside of |
| supports. This is also the type of radiant barrier | | | | your roof from the sun turning your attic into an |
| that is sometimes used underneath shingles. In | | | | oven. No amount of insulation can totally prevent |
| new construction or re-roofing projects you can | | | | heat transfer, and the higher the temperature |
| roll out sheet radiant barrier on top of the roof | | | | difference the more heat transfer their will be. So |
| but under the shingles. | | | | by decreasing the temperature in your attic you |
| The second kind of radiant barrier is spray on, | | | | make it easier for your insulation to do its job and |
| which is sprayed onto the underside of the roof | | | | keep the cold air in and the hot air out. |
| like paint. This has the advantage of being more | | | | Many people feel that if there house has |
| durable and easier to install correctly. It is in fact a | | | | adequate insulation they either do not need, or |
| paint mixed with metal flecking that provides the | | | | won’t see much benefit from, installing a |
| reflective property required to reflect the heat. | | | | radiant barrier in their house. This is not true |
| Another advantage of spray on barriers is that | | | | primarily because radiant barriers and traditional |
| they are easier to get total coverage with as | | | | insulation function very differently in how they |
| compared to the sheets. However, there is one | | | | keep your house warm. Radiant barrier prevents |
| drawback to spray on radiant barriers, they do | | | | the transmission of heat radiation into the air |
| not provide quite as much heat shielding as | | | | around it, it stops heat that is radiating into your |
| properly installed sheets can. However, many | | | | attic space from outside. Traditional insulation on |
| experts feel that you will see just a much benefit | | | | the other hand primarily serves to trap air, thus |
| from spray on radiant barrier due to its greater | | | | preventing heat transfers due to air movement |
| durability and ease of installation over the entire | | | | known as convection. So even if you have |
| surface of the roof. | | | | adequate traditional insulation preventing |
| Both of these radiant barriers function on the | | | | convection warming of your house from your |
| same basic principle. Reflecting heat away from | | | | attic, you can still benefit from adding a radiant |
| your house will keep heat away from your | | | | barrier to prevent heat radiating into your house |
| insulation, which in turn will lower the amount of | | | | from outside. |