Radiant Barrier Vs Insulation On Gable Side Of Attic

I was looking at getting insulation blown in as well as potentially adding an attic fan gable mounted and then i saw some articles online about radiant barriers.

Radiant barrier vs insulation on gable side of attic.

The insulation sub recommended using closed cell foam and blown. We take a look at how radiant barriers work the different types of radiant barriers and some of the. Radiant barrier is your first line of defense against radiant heat and traditional attic insulation fiberglass foam or cellulose is the second line of defense against conductive heat gain. 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.

The insructions for the fan say to cover the vents closest to the fan so the fan can pull the air fron the other side of the attic. Also the greater the temperature difference between the sides of the radiant barrier material the greater the benefits a radiant barrier. So the ac was leaking into the attic and the insulation is awful energy bills were high to boot. Unlike fiberglass cellulose and other traditional thermal insulation radiant barrier isn t installed on the attic floor instead it s installed in the attic ceiling just below the roof.

A radiant barrier works best when it is perpendicular to the radiant energy striking it. A radiant barrier reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic. Traditional attic insulation and radiant barrier work together and each do their part. Radiant barriers are utilized to reduce summer heat gain in attics and help to improve the efficiency of green building envelopes.

Super r radiant barrier stapled underneath the rafters or laid on the attic floor over existing insulation will result in up to 50 percent energy savings in the summer according to the department of energy and up to 10 percent savings in the winter. The roof design is a simple 8 12 pitch gable. By reducing the amount of radiant heat reaching the insulation in your attic the insulation remains cooler and is able to keep your home more comfortable. When installing the radiant barrier do i still need to plug the vent holes closest to the fan.

Type of radiant barrier application size of your house whether your home is a ranch style or a two story house amount of insulation in the attic effectiveness of attic ventilation color of the roof thermostat settings tightness of the building envelope actual weather conditions efficiency of the heating and. This is why you need both types of insulation. This is because foil insulation reduces radiant heat gain rather than slowing conductive and convective heat flow.