A radiant barrier is a type of home insulation that reflects heat from entering and exiting your attic. The poster-child for energy-efficiency (at least as far as home-insulation goes), radiant barriers are a popular choice for eco-friendly and budget-conscious homeowners who want to keep their home comfortable while reducing their energy bill.But just what radiant barriers and how do they work? Moreover, how can you make your home more energy efficient? Read on to find out!
What Is A Radiant Heat Barrier?
A radiant barrier is a type of home insulation that has a reflective surface that helps reflect heat from entering the home. When infrared radiation—the component of sunlight that heats your home—hits a home’s roof, a radiant barrier reflects the heat back away from the roof—effectively helping to keep your house cool. Since heating and cooling your home often accounts for the bulk of your utility bill, installing a radiant heat barrier is an effective way to make your home more energy efficient.Fun fact: radiant barriers were first developed by NASA to protect astronauts from both hot and cold temperatures while aboard spaceships in space. Fortunately, they’re just as effective at reflecting extreme temperatures down on earth. Learn more about the history of radiant barriers here!
The Science of Radiant Barriers: How Do They Work?
It’s a hot summer day. In July. In San Antonio. Odds are, the temperature outside is anywhere between 85 and 105 degrees, and your rooftop—which could easily absorb anywhere between 70 to 95% of the heat, is even hotter. Say your attic is 150 degrees (or hotter). Without a radiant barrier, the scorching heat from the sun can heat your attic, thereby heating your ceiling, thereby heating the air inside your home. Your AC will work overtime to catch up—trying in earnest to keep your home at a consistent temperature—despite the air in your attic getting hotter and hotter.A radiant barrier, in contrast, can reflect as much as 95% of the heat away from your attic, effectively serving as your home’s first major line of defense against the sun’s heat. Not only can this keep your home cooler, but it can also lessen the degree to which your air conditioner has to work to keep your home at a comfortable temperature—making it more energy efficient.In the winter, radiant barriers can also conserve heat, as well. When heat rises to escape through your attic—a radiant barrier can reflect the heat back into your home—reducing the burden on your furnace and, again, making your home more energy efficient.
Are Radiant Barriers Worth It?
While the total value of installing a radiant barrier in your home will largely depend on your climate, your homes’ exposure to the sun, and your current insulation, there are many good reasons to install one no matter where you live.For one, radiant barriers are an excellent way to conserve energy—both by keeping unwanted heat outside the home in the summer, and conserving heat inside your home in the winter. This can help your home use less energy over time, contributing to significant cost-savings on your utility bill. Installing a radiant heat barrier can also make it easier for your HVAC system to keep your home comfortable, they can also extend the life of your air conditioner and furnace, contributing to ever greater savings.
Get Your Energy-Efficient, Cost-Saving Radiant Barrier Today!
Are you experiencing rising energy bills or high home temperatures? Want to make your home as energy-efficient as it can get? Green Energy’s Radiant Barriers in San Antonio are made with pure copper—making them capable of blocking up to 97%(!) of the sun’s radiant heat—guaranteeing virtually all of the aforementioned benefits, and potentially adding years to your AC lifespan. For the best San Antonio radiant barriers, choose Green Energy of SAn Antonio. Contact us today to get a free estimate and to find out how our top-quality radiant barriers can make your home more energy efficient!
