Tips:  Keep in mind as you are installing this product that it is not insulation but a reflective shield.  This being the case, more attention to coverage as opposed to depth should be your focus.
Installation support can be obtained Monday through Saturday during normal business hours Pacific Time by calling: 602-980-4481

Some basic facts:

• RBS Chips have been proven to be the best investment for saving money
• You get the equipment for 10 days free.  $25/week rental after that
• All of this is shipped UPS to your front door in  a few boxes
• Installation takes 45 minutes/1000 square feet of attic area

Blower, hose, light, mask and instructions in one box
RBS Chips shipped separately

Tips for installation

DESIGN CRITERIA PRIOR TO INSTALLATION
1)  Does the attic meet our recommended venting requirements? (8 -10 square feet of venting per 1000 square feet of attic area, 50% at the peak of the roof (no ridge vents please), and 50% at the soffits.   Or install a thermostatically controlled powered attic ventilator.
2) Is the attic accessible?  (not to be used for flat roofs)
3) Are your ducts leaking?  Visually inspect ducts at each connection while the fan is blowing.  Repair any obvious leaks with silicone.   It does not make sense to add a product to save energy if you are losing conditioned air from your duct system.  Check before doing attic work.  If you are unsure about this, have an A/C contractor  (only if located in the attic), look at it first.

All of these issues need to be addressed prior to installation of RBS Chips.

LIGHTING
Use adequate lighting so you can see the product as it settles on the insulation.   To accomplish this you need to see what's going on. Our installation kit comes with a fluorescent lighting system that will not burn out when dropped and stays cool to the touch.  Use the plastic clamp to move the light to the best position while working.   Be careful routing the cord as sharp truss plates can easily cut and may short out your light cord leaving you stranded in the dark.

ATTIC PREPARATION
Begin by preparing the existing insulation for coverage.  This means removing boxes, Christmas decorations, deer heads and golf clubs.   If you have plywood down on the attic floor for storage purposes, either lift it up an blow under it or just blow over it.
Look in advance (especially in tight areas), where you need to be with the blower.  It may be easier to bring a small piece of plywood to work off of.  A piece of 3/8" plywood 18" wide by five feet long will cover two 24" on center rafters with ease and is easy to move around.  Remember you MUST have your venting issues covered BEFORE you add the RBS Chips.
NOTE: RBS Chips work by limiting the movement of heat.  Keep this in mind before you install them over canned ceiling lights.  What are canned ceiling lights?  Light fixtures that are installed above your ceiling that look like coffee cans with light bulbs in them.  From the room side these are flush with the ceiling and typically trimmed in with a white ring.  These cans generate heat and must not be in contact with insulation or RBS Chips.  Insulation dams can be obtained at Home Depot or an insulation supply house.  The purpose of these dams is to provide a non-combustible barrier which in turn insures convection will keep the light fixture from overheating. THIS ONLY APPLIES TO LIGHT FIXTURE LOCATED ABOVE THE CEILING.

OVER BATT FIBERGLASS INSULATION (above)
Fiberglass batts have gaps and cracks that allow chips to fall into and be wasted.  RBS Chips are not designed to fill voids like a blown-in insulation product, only cover the surface.   We recommend adding a cap of cellulose over batts to provide a level bed for the RBS Chips.  You can obtain a blower and hose from your local Home Depot store and is typically rent free as long as you purchase at least 8 bags of cellulose insulation.  Blowing cellulose is important as it levels the top surface of your existing insulation.  If you already have cellulose (grey or brown in color) and there are no ceiling rafters visible, just blow the RBS Chips on top and you are ready.

OVER BLOWN FIBERGLASS (above)
Blown-in fiberglass is typically too lumpy to provide an efficient bed for the RBS Chips.  You have two options:
    1)  Level the attic by hand with a piece of flat material like thin plywood or a kitchen broom.  Any lump bigger than an orange should be leveled.  Blown fiberglass can be white, pink or yellow in color.  If you have ceiling raftes visible as shown in the photo above, blow in a cap of cellulose insulation or have an insulation company do it for you.
    2) Blow in a cap of cellulose over the lumpy fiberglass until it is level.  Typically this requires a 2" cap of cellulose.  Don't focus on "R-Factor", only how flat you can make the top surface.  The more level it is the better the RBS Chips will perform.  Since you are a do-it-yourself person, go to Home Depot and purchase enough cellulose to accomplish this.  Or, you can have an insulation company do this for you.  Typically, Home Depot will let you use the cellulose blower for free if you purchase at least 8 bags of cellulose.  8 bags of cellulose will cap approximately 700 square feet.  Buy more than you need as you can return what you don't use.  We have found that an insulation company charges $250 up to 2,000 square feet of attic just to blow in a level cap.

PLAN OF PROCEDURE
Look in the attic for obstructions, boxes, anything that will hinder the movement of the hose or power cord.  Bring the blower, hose, light and power cord to the far end of the attic.  IMPORTANT: Putting in more chips than a good coverage does not increase performance, only cost.  The cost of RBS Chips dictates a caution not to put too much in any one area.  More chips is not better, just a waste of product.

INSTALLATION
IMPORTANT: This section needs to be read by both the installer and the person feeding the hose down below.
The hose needs to be fed with chips as fast as possible with as little jamming as possible.  Practice for a minute near the opening so you can see what works best and the two of you can communicate.  It’s frustrating to be on the blower end at the far side of the attic and the chips are barely coming out.  PRACTICE FIRST.  A consistent supply of chips makes the job go a lot faster and smoother.  Once blowing the chips, it’s easy to communicate with each other by talking through the hose once the blower is turned off. Should the installer need something: less hose in the attic, less cord whatever, it’s better to talk through the hose than crawl through a tight attic to exchange an idea.
If the chips are being fed properly it should look like the picture below.  Blow the RBS Chips into the air and let them settle on top of the insulation for best results as seen below.  Do not point the chip gun at the insulation, you will be disappointed with the results as this will just create large bald spots in your work area. Keep the blower moving back and forth to until the area you are working with is completely covered.

WORKING IN THE ATTIC
Notice the installer is standing on the trusses.  DO NOT STAND BETWEEN THE TRUSSES OR CEILING RAFTERS.  You will quickly find your leg protruding through the ceiling.
Keep the blower moving back and forth and blow the chips into the air and let them settle on top of the existing insulation until it is completely covered.  You will find this difficult where the roof meets the outside walls.   The velocity of the blower will blow the chips away from your intended area.  To overcome this, stay back about five feet from the edge and make passes back and forth until an ample supply of chips are in front of you, six to eight feet wide.  Then make ONE low pass blowing the chips into the tight area.  Then come back and re-blow the area where the chips used to be then move towards the center of the attic.  Repeat until desired area is covered.  Remember to wear a dust mask in all installations.  While the RBS Chips are not harmful, you will be working in and around material that most likely is.

Stop when necessary to move the hose behind you or ask the feed person (by talking through the hose), to pull it out.  Do not blow chips over the hose, as this will mix the chips with the insulation.  Do not blow RBS Chips over canned lights (recessed lighting), bathroom fans, fresh air intakes above furnace rooms, water heater rooms or open electrical boxes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q  What if I have to go into the attic for repairs after the chips are installed?
A  Just move the chips and insulation aside where you need to work and move them back when you are done.  You should have some RBS Chips left over from the installation.  Use them if needed to add more by hand at a later date.

Q  Will more chips need to be added to maintain performance?
A  No, RBS Chips have a transferable, lifetime performance warranty.  To see our warranty click here.

Q  Will dust or gravity affect the RBS Chips over time?
A   No, the RBS Chips are NOT affected by dust like single layered RBS laid down flat in your attic.

Are the RBS Chips toxic?
No. RBS Chips are non toxic and have a class III fire rating

Q Will RBS Chips trap moisture?
A  The shape and size of the RBS Chip prevents moisture from condensing on the product thereby eliminating this problem.

If you have any questions not addressed here or would like to contact us for answers regarding a specific application, please contact our Phoenix office at: 602-789-1699

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing our energy saving products.  Further, I applaud your goal of saving energy as we all need to be more aware of what we are doing to our fragile planet.  Studies have shown the Earth has sustained irreversible damage from mankind and we must, as the current caretakers, do what we can to preserve the future for our children and generations beyond.
On a more personal level, I would appreciate any photo documentation, especially in a digital format for inclusion on our growing web site.
 

Thank you,

Brad Lindsay, President Horizon Energy Systems

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