Radiant Barriers are a great way to keep your home comfortable year round. They are considered especially nice, if one lives in Southern states like North Carolina, Georgia and others. But, despite the many people who love having radiant barriers for their homes there are still homeowners who aren’t convinced of their value. So before expounding on the benefits of these barriers, let’s take a moment to explain what they are.
A radiant barrier is, when best employed, a type of sheeting that is used within the structure of your home to reduce the amount of heat absorbed during the summer, and help keep things comfortable in the winter. They are more easily installed during the building process, but it is not terribly difficult to add them at a later date.
The most effective barrier sheathing is a structural roof-sheathing panel, which consists of an OSB panel with heat-reflecting foil laminated to one side. The barriers consist of a thin layer of a highly reflective material, usually aluminum, applied to one or both sides of another material that provides strength and durability. These other materials include Kraft paper, plastic films, cardboard, plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing, and air infiltration barrier material.
So, what are the benefits of having these installed as part of your home? Are they really worth all the hype that they receive? Here is what the experts say about using these energy-efficient barriers.
· When using a barrier with OSB sheathing, you can reflect as much as 97% of solar radiation, which translates into a heat reduction of 30%
· The hotter it gets the better the barriers work, which is why they are so popular in the South!
· A cooler attic space means it is cooler home. Which also means that one’s ductwork does less work to keep the space comfortable.
· Using radiant barriers can lower you’re A/C requirements by up to half a ton.
· Having these barriers installed, typically helps you qualify for Energy Star savings.
· An Energy Department fact sheet states that if a consumer lives in the Deep South and has ductwork in the attic, installing a radiant barrier could save as much as $150 per year.
Having radiant barriers is an easy and helpful solution to saving money on monthly energy costs. And, when combined with other proactive measures can go a long way toward improving your quality of life. If you have additional questions regarding radiant barriers, please be sure to ask the NC radiant barrier pros at Utility Improvements. We are here to help.