Radiant barrier insulation is a game-changer for both homes and businesses alike. With costs rising everywhere, we’re all trying to save a dollar down the line. A great way to invest back in your building is through next-level insulation.

Radiant barrier insulation reflects heat, unlike mass insulation which only slows down or resists heat transfer. Proper insulation helps keep energy bills down and saves your AC unit from working overtime.

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Why should I invest in radiant barrier insulation?

It gets hot in Central Texas, and we’re used to months of heat where the temperatures might rise to over 100 degrees. And that kind of weather puts a massive amount of stress on our air conditioning units.

With that kind of energy constantly being used, finding any way to save a few bucks throughout the year should be a no-brainer. But what if you could potentially save up to 50% on your electric bills? Now you’re listening.

Do I need radiant barrier?

Radiant barrier is the insulation that reduces summer heat gain while keeping heat inside when it’s cold out. Radiant barrier is EPA-recognized as a heat shield, which blocks out at least 90% of radiant heat. When it comes to the standard insulation in our homes, nearly anything is an improvement. Typically, a contractor uses the cheapest insulation they can get, and guess who’s on the hook later down the line for high energy costs – you are. Fiberglass insulation only absorbs heat entering your attic up to its’ rated R-Value. Fiberglass insulation can only soak up so much heat, and what it can’t absorb soaks into the rest of the house.

According to the EPA, radiant barrier provides at least 17% energy savings. Elements such as usage, climate, building, etc., are factors of ineffectiveness.

The 3% Difference

We use a perforated material that blocks 97% radiant heat and allows water vapor to travel through the attic and the ventilation. Radiant barrier insulation only lets 3% of radiant heat through, so this is where your standard insulation kicks in. What radiant barrier doesn’t catch, fiberglass acts as a safety net.

How Radiant Barrier is Installed

Technically there are two different installation methods – layover and staple up. 99% of the times we recommend the staple up method. The layover method is simply laying the radiant barrier on top of the existing insulation. We do not recommend this method because in order for radiant barrier to be effective over a period of time, one side needs to be unaffected, and untouched by anything. Our radiant barrier is double-sided. With the layover method, one side is taken out of the equation immediately…the side touching the insulation. Attics are dusty places. Dust will accumulate and settle on top of the other side of the radiant barrier, slowly taking away the reflective value.

Our recommendation is the staple up method. We staple to the bottom side of the attic ceiling rafter, creating an air gap between the roof decking and the radiant barrier side. This gives us the 95% reflective value. Dust can settle from the roof on to the radiant barrier, but guess where it is not settling? That’s right! The side that is facing the attic space! This will give the 95% reflective value over a long period of time.

We do not staple the radiant barrier against the actual roof. Heat will still pass through the radiant barrier by conduction…like when you touch your finger to a hot tea kettle. The air gap is everything!

We have 2 insulation vacuums that are fired up and ready to suck the old dirty insulation out.

Look, we know this isn’t exactly UT winning the Rose Bowl, but this is a big deal in our world. The HeatBusters bought a brand new, 16 HP engine, insulation vacuum. This makes our work faster but also better. Dead rodents and other toxic debris can be harmful if left in your attic. Old/deteriorated insulation makes buildings dustier, and wet insulation from roof leaks breeds mold.

The reason we’re so excited about the new vacuum is it does a lot of things for our customers

  • Lower pricing for insulation removal
  • Faster removal process
  • Old insulation disposal
  • Thorough removal of insulation + deodorizing and sanitizing of attic space

How Radiant Barrier Works

In order to achieve the 95% reflective value that radiant barrier can offer, there needs to be an air gap where nothing is touching the radiant barrier. If the radiant barrier is touching something like the roof decking heat can still pass through by conduction. This is the same type of heat transfer that happens when you touch a hot tea kettle. Over 40% of radiant heat will be transferred if butted up against something.

Every dollar counts. By investing in your insulation, there’s a real potential to see your AC bills go down significantly. With our home blown-in insulation, or even our radiant barrier might be the smart investment you could make to see your home’s value increase.

If you’re interested in learning more about how the HeatBusters have helped homes and businesses from Temple to the surrounding Austin area, contact us today.