March 28, 2012. A new generation attic radiant barrier not only reduces air conditioning bills - It also reduces heating bills: Prodex Total Insulation
The sun's heat is absorbed by a roof, heating the roof sheathing and causing the underside of the sheathing and the roof framing to radiate downward toward the attic floor. When a radiant barrier is placed above the roofing or directly underneath the roofing material, much of the heat radiated from the hot roof is reflected back out through the roof. This results in a cooler home and a reduction in your cooling costs.
The radiant barrier component of Prodex addresses the summer heat gain. Heat gain is higher in the attic because the sun is beating down on it all day (it's not uncommon to have summer daytime temperatures in an attic cavity that exceeds 150 degrees F). Because heat rises, you'll have more winter heat loss through your attic roof than through your walls; therefore, it is more important having a higher R in the attic than the walls. Prodex has a R-value 15.67 (single layer) and R-value 21.10 (double layer) in attic roof applications. Unlike fiberglass insulation, these R-Values are unaffected by humidity!
Prodex Total (attic radiant barrier) will lower your air conditioning and heating bills. It will potentially extend the life of that equipment. When installing on your attic roof rafters use Prodex 48, 24, 16 Inch or Prodex Fast Action. Click for attic installation methods. Prodex Perforated attic radiant barrier is recommended when installing on an attic floor over existing insulation.
Will the product hurt my shingles? No, absolutely not. There has been significant testing on this issue and it has shown that a radiant barrier installed in a residential attic will not harm the shingles.
Prodex attic radiant barriers are paramount in creating a more comfortable and energy efficient home, keeping you cooler in summer and warmer in the winter. An attic radiant barrier is an absolute must in warmer climates. In colder climates it is important that your attic radiant barrier also provide thermal protection (R Value). Ideally you want a product that provide a vapor barrier, radiant heat barrier and R Value. Prodex Total attic radiant barrier reduces radiant heat transfer through the attic by 97%. Installing Prodex in the attic roof means that the heat from the sun will be reflected back out of your attic instead of crossing the airspace to be absorbed by the insulation on the attic floor and then radiated down into your home below. Similarly, adding Prodex Perforated attic radiant barrier can reduce the loss of heat from the attic floor to the roof sheathing in cold weather by reflecting the heat in your home back downward.
Prodex Total Insulation (attic radiant barrier and more) is not effected by moisture and can completely replace older insulation materials in many areas. Prodex Total can also be used effectively in conjunction with other bulk insulation materials in colder climates. In a typical home, up to 30 percent of the heat is lost through the attic roof. Adding an attic radiant barrier is an easy upgrade. Adding a radiant barrier is the most common home insulation retrofit project. An attic radiant barrier can be easily added to an existing attic as it hangs below the rafters.
Energy Savings: Payback on investment
The cost of insulation is measured as the time to payback the initial cost of the insulation through energy savings. Payback is calculated by dividing the initial cost of the attic radiant barrier by the annual amount of savings in energy costs. Economic gains from installing a radiant barrier in the attic are well documented. Studies show that an attic radiant barrier can save as much as 17 percent on air conditioning energy costs. Research conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has shown that the installation of a radiant barrier can generate significant financial savings. About 22 percent of the heat gain in a typical Florida house comes through the attic. An attic radiant barrier reduces heat gain through the roof by about 40 percent. The summer peak energy use savings was as much as 27 percent. This study also showed that the average peak reduction from the radiant barrier system was three times as great as the savings produced by adding more fiberglass insulation (a change from R-13 to R-19). Whole house tests run by the Mineral Insulation Manufacturers Association and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory show the average reductions in ceiling heat flow from the addition of a radiant barrier stapled under the rafters between 24 and 30 percent compared with R 19 attic floor insulation and no attic radiant barrier insulation. The US Department of Energy Attic Radiant Barrier Fact Sheet (DOE/CE-0335P) states that reductions in the cost of cooling can reach up to 17% by proper installation of an attic radiant barrier. The Oxford City Council has estimated that the cost to add insulation to an un-insulated attic will pay back in 2 years. Estimates are that insulating an un-insulated attic saves 25 percent on heating costs in cold climates. Heavily insulating the attic (R value + radiant barrier) is usually seen as a worthwhile investment. You can almost never have too much insulation. Remember Prodex Total adds a radiant barrier + R-value 15.67.
While Cellulose, fiberglass, spray foam and rockwool are made to resist or impede the flow of warm air, an attic radiant barrier reflects back infra-red energy from the sun so it does not penetrate the building. It can reflect back radiant heat inside the house so it does not escape. The concept is simple each unit of radiant heat energy that is reflected away from your home in summer and each unit reflected back inside during winter means less operation of your air conditioning and heating systems, less wear and tear on your equipment, and less money you pay in utility cost.
Installing an attic radiant barrier
Compare Prodex Total Insulation to other insulations