Indoor Air Quality: Consider Radiant Barriers for a Hot, Humid Attic
When the sun beats down on your roof, its heat has to radiate somewhere. Typically, it flows into your attic walls and floor. This effect of the sun’s radiant heat is what creates the unbearable heat and humidity in your attic during the summer months. All this heat gain is causing your A/C to work harder and less efficiently, and this is costing you money. One solution to this problem is to install radiant barriers.
A radiant barrier is made of highly reflective material that reflects rather than absorbs the sun’s radiant heat. Not only do they battle heat and humidity, but they are also excellent for maximizing your home’s cooling efficiency.
Radiant barriers come in several forms, including:
- Foil
- Metal roof shingles
- Laminated roof sheathing
- Reflective chips, which are applied over loose-fill insulation
- Reflective insulation systems, which cleverly combine radiant barriers with thermal insulation
The reflective material can be bonded to a number of different substrate materials, such as plastic, cardboard or kraft paper.
To maximize the effectiveness of radiant barriers, proper installation is key. There are several different ways to install radiant barriers, most of which depend on the construction and age of your home. A certified installer will know the best type of radiant barrier for your house, as well as the most appropriate way to install it. Whatever method you choose, the job is best done before summer really hits to avoid working in the high heat and humidity of an attic.
Have more questions regarding combatting heat and humidity? Contact the experts at Sobieski Services. We are always happy to help with your home-comfort needs. We serve Wilmington and the surrounding areas.
Sobieski serves Wilmington, Delaware and the surrounding areas. Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
For more information about heat and humidity and other home comfort topics, visit our website today. Don’t forget to view our special offers to save money on service & more!