Radiant Barrier Vs Attic Fan

Radiant barrier should always be installed to work with the soffit and ridge.

Radiant barrier vs attic fan.

I am considering solar attic fans or radiant barrier or both if needed. Radiant barriers are utilized to reduce summer heat gain in attics and help to improve the efficiency of green building envelopes. 95 of homeowners will not be able to install a roof mounted attic fan with temp switch or proper venting. Next i compared adding an additional r 19 to my existing r 19 level of attic insulation vs installing radiant barrier and the results actually surprised me a little.

Most customers find that whatever attic ventilation they have is usually adequate after they install a radiant barrier. Instead of spending money on radiant barriers attic fans or levels of insulation above an r 40 investing duct sealing and shade screens would make more sense. We take a look at how radiant barriers work the different types of radiant barriers and some of the. The radiant barrier resulted in roughly 4 times more savings than the added insulation.

A number of factors should be taken into consideration when choosing between these two especially the climate zone that you re building in. Keep in mind in order to get this price you must be very savvy with electrical and active venting solutions. A radiant barrier can lower heat transfer from attics to the building below keep the attic space cooler and lower cooling costs by up to 17 in warmer climates. Total diy radiant barrier installation costs w attic fan.

Installing radiant barrier under the roof decking is the preferred method versus on top of the insulation because it gives an air gap for the heat to escape to the ridge vent without creating a potential moisture problem between the radiant barrier and the attic floor. Our superperf radiant barrier is an excellent choice especially in cold climates where moisture is a significant concern. Finally if you re trying to reduce heat loss from the home into the attic you need to consider adding a radiant barrier over your insulation on the attic floor to help the home from radiating heat into the attic space. Daniel the number one thing you can do to reduce heat in the attic is to install a radiant barrier.

Your plan will likely require a completely sealed ceiling a very thick layer of insulation radiant barriers reflective foil layers above the insulation preferably between the rafters to block the radiation and isolate your hot attic from your cool house additional ventilation openings and possibly a powered attic fan to remove warm air. Get the basics in your attic right and you will not need to invest in radiant barriers attic fans or more insulation. April 19 2012 at 10 23 am. Total diy radiant barrier comparison cost vs savings.