On hot summer days, especially during the peak of the season, there are times when you wish your home would just reflect heat and send it back to wherever it came from. Don’t be too surprised when we tell you that it is actually possible. Though you may not be able to send back all the heat but enough to make your abode feel like a home and not a hot oven. The technology behind it is simple and called a “Radiant Barrier.”
What Is A Radiant Barrier?
Building materials that reflect thermal radiation or the heat of the sun and reduce the transfer of heat are called radiation barriers. Usually, they are installed in the attic of homes. These barriers are made up of highly reflective materials like aluminum foil. They stop the roof from heating by reflecting the radiant heat instead of absorbing it. Essentially what the barrier does is, sends the thermal heat back into the surroundings and thereby preventing your home from becoming hotter.
How Does The Radiant Barrier Work?
It is common knowledge that heat flows from a warm area to a cooler one. What most people don’t know is that it happens in three ways –
1. Conduction – Transfer of heat from a hot material to a cooler material that is in direct contact. For example, a cold spoon placed in a hot soup bowl.
2. Convection – Transfer of heat when a liquid or gas heats and raises the temperature of the air, which, in turn, warms everything that it touches.
3. Radiation – Heat that travels in a straight line and heats or warms up all things solid that absorb it.
In summers, the sun’s radiant energy targets the roof. In the absence of a radiant barrier, this heat is transferred to the rest of your house, making it warm. Placing a radiant barrier in the attic allows the roof to send the hot rays in another direction away from it. In this manner, the roof and the roofing materials do not become hot and hence cannot transfer the heat to your home, keeping it cool.
Is The Radiant Barrier Same As Insulation?
The purpose of insulation is to decrease the loss or gain of heat in an enclosed space like a home. It means that the work of insulation is to maintain the indoor temperature. On the other hand, a radiant barrier is tasked with blocking and sending or reflecting the heat back to the same place that it came from. So the work of the radiant barrier is not to slow down the process. Instead, its work is to prevent further heating. So radiant barriers and insulation are not the same things. They are markedly different as they serve two distinct and separate purposes.
Do I Need A Radiant Barrier?
There is no simple and straightforward answer. Nevertheless, here are a few things to consider that will make the decision easy.
1. Do You Live In An Area Where The AC Works Most Of The Year? – If you live in an area where your AC works for the most part of the year, with just a month or two in between giving it some relief, your AC will thank you if you invest in a radiant barrier. With a radiant barrier in place, your cooling system will not have to work as hard as before. It will get some much-needed off time which is good for the system’s health and well-being.
2. Are Your Cooling Bills Very High? – In the absence of a radiant barrier, your AC is waging war against the summer heat. It works long and hard, and yet there are days when you still feel uncomfortable indoors. Long working hours and tremendous strain on the cooling unit increase its power consumption and hence, the power bills. Studies have shown that a radiant barrier can save between 5% to 10% of the cooling costs when used in sunny climates. If you want to lower your cooling costs, the radiant barriers are a step in the right direction.
Whom To Contact If I Want To Install Radiant Barrier In My Attic? – HVAC Services West Palm Beach
If you wish to install a radiant barrier in your attic, your local HVAC contractor is the best person to seek assistance. Almost all HVAC contractors offer insulation and radiant barrier installation services. Just in case, for some reason, if yours doesn’t, you can always ask them for a reference. The industry with which they are aligned gives them access to contacts or people who are involved in a similar trade or offer allied services.
Cost Of Radiant Barrier Installation
The installation of a radiant barrier can run anywhere between $750 to $2,900. On average, it costs approximately $1,700. The cost of materials for the project is as little as $0.10 per square foot and goes up to $0.95. The professional radiant barrier installers or contractors offering HVAC services in West Palm Beach will charge between $30 to $80 per hour to see the job through completion.
A radiant barrier is not a new technology. It is just that people are slowly becoming aware of it now and the benefits they can gain by installing one. The advantage of bringing down the cooling costs is obviously one of its main attractions. If you have still not thought about installing a radiant barrier in your attic, now is probably the right time to think about it.
If you live in West Palm Beach, Florida, and are looking for a reputable contractor to install a radiant barrier in your attic, look no further than Aztil Air Conditioning. We are an elite team of technicians operating in South Florida since 1981. Our comprehensive HVAC services in West Palm Beach cover every aspect of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. We even offer 24/7 emergency services. To book an appointment or schedule an inspection, give us a call any time at +1-888-729-8452. We are looking forward to serving you to the best of our capability.