Radiant Barriers

What is a Radiant Barrier?

A radiant barrier is typically a reflective surface, usually foil, that is installed in the attic trusses or directly on top of attic insulation. Radiant barriers will protect your home from summer heat by reflecting radiant solar energy out of the attic and away from the living space.

Radiant heat can account for up to 93% of the heat gain in your home.

Installing a radiant barrier can dramatically reduce the load on your cooling systems, helping to increase the comfort of your home and increase overall energy efficiency. A radiant barrier works cooperatively with attic insulation, in that the radiant heat from the roof is “bounced back” which keeps the insulation cooler. The less heat that is exposed to the attic insulation, the less heat that enters your home.

Radiant barriers work in the summer and the winter.

When people think of a radiant barrier they frequently think of the benefits of reflecting solar energy in the summer, but radiant barriers work in the winter as well. As mentioned previously, the way a radiant barrier works is by reflecting thermal energy back to the source from which it originated. In the winter, our home HVAC system produces thermal energy. This energy rises to our interior ceilings and passes through into our attic space where it is lost. A radiant barrier placed on top of your existing attic insulation will return this thermal energy back into our living space, saving you money each and every month!

St. Louis homeowners should seriously consider retrofitting their home with a radiant barrier. Our high summer temperatures are the exact conditions that make radiant barriers an effective solution. Contact us today for a free quote on the cost of installing a radiant barrier in your home — you’ll be surprised how much you can save each month on your utility costs!