CINCINNATI Blog

Options...options...options...

Foil Radiant barriers can have many applications but are mostly known to be installed in homes – usually in attics, but not always – primarily to reduce summer heat gain and reduce cooling costs in the summer and reduce heating cost in the winter months. The barriers consist of a highly reflective material that reflects radiant heat rather than absorbing it. They don’t, however, reduce heat conduction like thermal insulation materials.

A key point to remember is that insulation and a barrier like a radiant one can control and resist heat in both directions.   It’s common to assume that insulation or a barrier is only needed in winter or preparation for winter, however that is far from the truth.

While insulation is most commonly associated with winter and radiant barriers with the summer, it is incorrect to assume that they don’t function outside of their seasons.  Let us from Koala Insulation of Cincinnati provide you with an example.  Here we go…

After finishing a marathon, racers are often covered in a reflective surface or blanket. This isn’t to protect them from the heat, but to raise their core temperature. After extreme exercise, the body releases heat faster than it can retain it, which can lead to shock. This blanket reflects the heat back in.

Much in the same way, homes in the Midwest can cover the joists of their attic floor with reflective barriers to keep radiant heat from exiting through the roof during the cold winter months. This means radiant barriers serve a dual purpose—keeping the summers cool and the winters warm.

By slowing heat, insulation helps keep the air conditioning unit running less in the summer, but it will also keep heat trapped in your home longer without it. This is why in warmer climates, a mixture of both insulation and radiant barriers tends to produce the greatest value.

This is another option on how to combat and mitigate temperature changes based on the differences of our seasons that we experience here in Cincinnati, for a free complete insulation evaluation that will assess all of the opportunities to make your home or building more energy efficient, call Koala Insulation of Cincinnati!  (513) 906-8636 or visit us at Koalainsulation.com/Cincinnati

More to follow in the upcoming weeks!