Beat The Summer Heat With a Radiant Barrier

It may be a bit early to dream about the blue skies and green grass of summer. Here in the Midwest there’s still snow on the ground and bitter temperatures to battle. But for all the layers we must wear, we know that the beauty of spring and the promise of outside fun is only months away. We can’t wait!

All the more reason to start thinking about finally doing something to combat the heat infiltration inside your attic. The sun’s hot rays – radiant heat – strikes rooftops and penetrates through shingles and sheeting. Left unabated, the radiant heat would continue to travel through the air space and building materials in search of cooler air within your home. This isn’t out of a science fiction movie, this is watered-down physics.

Heated air is always in motion, in search of a cooler space. As radiant heat penetrates into your attic it pushes down through your insulation and other building materials until it reaches the cooler air of your living spaces. This means that the heated air raises the temperature of the cooler air, which causes your air conditioning unit to kick on. A ridiculously vicious cycle occurs, perpetuated by heat which enters with normal entry/exit of doors. If your air conditioner had a tongue, it would be hanging out, an expression of pure exhaustion.

If you plan ahead to the early days of spring you have an opportunity to put an end to radiant heat leaks. A product called radiant barrier can be installed along your roof rafters and block entry of the sun’s rays.

Radiant barrier is thin, lightweight material with an inner woven scrim of polyester. Covered with 99% aluminum, radiant barrier is highly reflective and very effective at blocking the sun’s rays before they have an opportunity to penetrate your roof.

Get planning now and get a jump on summer during the spring.