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Arizona
Insulation vs. radiant barrier: Which is best?
Actually, full scale testing dictates you need both, but read below what we learned on two identical test homes built side by side in 1986 in Phoenix Arizona.
RBS HOME
The RBS home had no insulation, only radiant barrier in the walls and
ceiling. NOTE: This was prior to the manufacturing
of our RBS Chips or TCM so only single sheet type RBS was used for this
experiment.
CONVENTIONAL HOME
This home had R-19 batt walls and R-30 blown fiberglass in the
attic. This home was occupied by a couple who both worked during the
day so the house was empty. The RBS home was occupied by a family of
seven. Data collection was set up by Dr. Byard Wood of ASU who installed
15 thermocouples (seven in each home and one ambient sensor), in each home to
monitor temperatures every 10 minutes of attic, ceiling, roof, duct, interior,
and ambient temperatures. Testing began in the winter of 1986 and
continued 24/7 until late summer 1987.
This is where we discovered the potential insulation has for storing and re-emitting heat into the home.
FACTS:
The
attic temperature in the RBS home was never more than a few degrees above the
outdoor temperature while the insulation house was over 145f every summer
day. Discussions with Dr. Wood followed regarding the low temperature of
the RBS attic and was suggested that the lack of insulation was cooling the
attic. Each home was then fitted with two KWH meters, (image here), one for each heat
pump. These meters showed a 35% reduction of energy needed for cooling and
the home was more comfortable. Further, the RBS house was occupied during
the day by a family of seven while the insulation house was
unoccupied because a working couple who lived there turned the
thermostat up to 85 when they left for work each day. Despite these
obvious disparities in the test, the RBS house was more comfortable and returned
35% savings over the identical home next door with convention insulation.
Late summer it was decided to add blown attic insulation to the RBS home to reduce the noise from the busy street the homes were built on. Interesting to note: Just hours after the insulation was installed the attic temperature in the RBS home was hotter than it had ever been. Further, the attic stayed hotter longer after the sun went down as compared the RBS only attic.
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