Where is the best placement for a radiant barrier? Radiant barrier, cellulose, home, energy, fiberglass, radiant barrier, attic insulation, energy conservation, green building

Where Should Radiant Barrier Be Installed?


 

RBS placement in the attic is very important

In the summer of 1993 an Arizona electric utility began testing the performance of three types of Radiant Barrier Systems (RBS) in three different placements in four identical unoccupied homes. One home was a control house with no RBS.  Data collection included time, temperature and measurement of power usage. All power was shut off in these homes except for the heat pump. The results of this testing brought to light some interesting data as shown below.
 
 

The graph above illustrates some interesting points:

Depending on the climate your home is located, RBS placement is critical not only to performance, but to prevent damaging condensation problems within your walls and insulation..

Heating Dominant Climates (cold winters)
RBS sheeting should be placed between the interior sheet rock and wall insulation. This will act as a vapor barrier as well as a radiant barrier. IMPORTANT!  Do not place a non permeable membrane of any type between the wall insulation and the outside wall. Water may condense on the film creating all kinds of problems including but not limited to: wood rot, mildew, ruined insulation and unwanted critters.

Cooling Dominant Climates (mild winters, hot summers)

In climates where the night temperatures rarely gets below freezing, the RBS sheeting can be placed on the outside of the exterior sheathing and finished wall system (stucco, brick, siding, plywood). IMPORTANT!   Remember to create an airspace to the exterior finished wall does not contact the RBS sheeting, this will create a path of conduction and negate the performance of the RBS. Some products that work well for this are:

RBS Wrap applied in a hot climate

Building a new home? Adding a room? Want to decrease your electric bill? Simply submit your drawings to us and we will assist you in building the most comfortable, energy efficient home possible...economically. Or drop us email anytime if you have questions.


RBS Chips, the most efficient attic insulation in the world


 

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