by Cooper Climate Control
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For a lot of us, the term radiant barrier sounds like it came straight out of Star Trek! In fact, residential radiant barriers are created from the same technology that NASA used to protect astronauts, equipment and spacecraft from the temperature variations in space. Today, it is being used more and more in homes and can save you money on energy bills while at the same time prolonging the life of your roof and AC system.
In the peak of Arizona summers, the average temperature of any attic can reach 150 degrees. Having such extreme temperatures in the attic around your AC system and duct work causes your air conditioner to run constantly to combat the heat. By reducing the heat in the attic, radiant barriers can save up to $150 per year on annual energy costs, according to a study by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Radiant barriers are installed to reflect thermal heat away from your home that the sun generates. It uses aluminum to reflect the heat away, and by doing so, you will have a cooler attic. When you have a cooler attic your AC system will last longer. If you have an attic that gets up to 150 degrees, that heat is going into your home and your AC will constantly run over and over. It will never be able to cool itself down. Radiant barriers reflect 80% of that heat away.
There are three different types of radiant barriers:
TechShield: This form is for new houses and can only be applied as the home is being built; it adheres to the underside of the roof decking. This shield is able to protect the whole roof without leaving any gaps for thermal heat to get inside.
Foil: This form is basically the TechShield, only it’s for homes that are already built. It is stapled to the under part of a roof to reflect heat. The only downside to this form is that it leaves air pockets between the roof and the reflective sheets, meaning that the air pockets are able to heat up to extremely high temperatures and that heat will be able to seep into your attic and house.
Radiant Barrier Spray: This consists of aluminum alloy particles that are sprayed under the decking of a roof, and it’s the aluminum particles that reflect the heat away. The spray is very efficient because it leaves no air pockets and covers every part of the roof.
AC systems are known to break down in the peak of summer. Often, they break down not because they are old, but because of the environment they are working in. Many people think their AC system needs to be replaced when in reality it broke down due to its location inside the home and heat.
There are many benefits for installing a radiant barrier in your home. Most homes have an AC system and the duct work for that system in the attic. When the attic reaches 150 degrees in the summer with no radiant barrier, the ducts are trying to push cold air into the attic. By the time the AC is producing cold air in the attic, the air is not as cold anymore because the environment the AC is trying to work in is extremely hot. If you have a radiant barrier, your AC system will not have to work as hard and you will be prolonging the life of your AC unit.
According to the Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association International, installation of radiant barriers can:
Reduce attic temperatures as much as 30 degrees.
Reduce heat transfer from attic to living space up to 50%.
Reduce heat loads on attic ducts and equipment up to 50%.
Extend the life of the air-conditioning unit.
Increase the comfort level of the home.
Another benefit of a radiant barrier is that it prolongs the life of your roof. Roof shingles can buckle because the shingles are being toasted by the heat that is inside the attic. Radiant barriers will keep the heat down and keep your roof in better condition for years.
To ensure your home is energy efficient, having a radiant barrier along with the proper amount of insulation is really important. According to US Department of Energy, homes should have a radiant barrier and be equipped with a minimum of 15 inches of installation in the attic. If your home meets these standards, you should be able to see a decrease on your summer electric bill of up to 30%.
The reason for the decrease is because the AC unit in your home consumes 60% of your electric bill. What we want to do is make sure the environment the AC is working in helps the AC system. By having the right working conditions of your AC system, we can decrease the usage of your system by half, which can save you up to 30% on your monthly bills. By doing this you are prolonging the life of your AC system, the maintenance of your home, and also reaping the rewards of saving more money on your electric bill.
Cooper Climate Control Heating & Air Conditioning offers a energy efficiency evaluation, with its main focus on radiant barrier installation and ventilation. A technician will evaluate your home and give it a score based on calculations by the Department of Energy and Housing Urban Development (HUD). The average score for a home in Arizona is around 27%, and a passing sore is 75-80%. Having a radiant barrier installed in your home can save you a lot of money and keep you cooler in the summer. Call Cooper Climate Control Heating & Air Conditioning today so you can get your monthly bills down!
