If you’re a homeowner, be it a condo, duplex, or stand-alone 4Bed/2Bath, the second best time to install radiant barrier is today. The best time, of course, was when the building was constructed.
If you were to place a dollar figure on the amount of money creating a more energy-efficient home would save, and multiply that number times each month of the year times the number of years you’ve owned the home, you’d probably end up very depressed. That money – in the thousands – isn’t sitting in your 401(k) earning interest, nor is it even part of a distant yet happy memory of a trip to Belize for your anniversary. It’s just money that went out into the atmosphere.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can stop the laws of physics from getting its sticky hands on your slender wallet. You need to do this now.
Do some research into the marvels of radiant barrier. Kick the tires, ask HVAC specialists and general contractors for their two cents. Don’t be surprised if they don’t have a lot to offer, as insulation regulations haven’t changed much since the 1960’s. If the contractor doesn’t have a personal interest in technology advancements, he or she may not know much about radiant barrier. But lots can be found online.
Once you decide that radiant barrier is going to be your energy efficiency stop gap, go ahead and buy plenty. You’ll want to install it along your attic floor joists as well as along the roof rafters. The floor application assist during the winter, and the rafter application will help during the summer. The remainder of the product can be used along your ductwork and even your hot water heater, although the bubble radiant barrier may be the most effective product for that kind of application.