Radiant Barrier Attic Temperature

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Radiant barrier attic temperature. Radiant barriers cook shingles truth. Benefits of radiant barrier sheathing when utilizing osb radiant barrier sheathing you can reflect up to 97 of solar radiation which translates into an attic heat reduction of up to 30 f. Black asphalt roof shingles absorb over 90 of the radiant heat that strikes them making them easily over 170 degrees on a hot summer day. This is really what drives heat flow the top surface temperature of the insulation.

When installed properly radiant barriers can reflect up to 95 of the radiant heat off the attic. The hotter it gets the better radiant barriers work. Whether you use it in a crawl space radiant floor attic or walls you ll find it easy to handle and install. Ideally the best case scenario is one in which you have a radiant barrier installed and your attic air temperature measures within 10 degrees of outside air temperature if not the same as ambient temperature.

The best way i have seen to describe this effect is it s like putting your home or office under a shade tree. If you install a radiant barrier it will drop the surface temperatures inside the attic compared to the air temperature in the attic. On any given hot day the temperature on shingles can range from 160 to 190 so the slight increase from the barriers are insignificant and does not quicken the degradation of your shingles. It can easily be 120º or more even if the air temperature is only 100º.

Some studies show that radiant barriers can reduce cooling. When your attic stays cooler the hvac unit or ducts will be able to keep your home comfortable without using excessive amounts of electricity. Also the greater the temperature difference between the sides of the radiant barrier material the greater the benefits a radiant barrier can offer. Radiant barriers may increase the temperature of your exterior roofline on a hot summer day by 2 to 5 as it reflects the sun s rays from entering into the attic but it will not cook your shingles.

Radiant barriers are more effective in hot climates than in cool climates especially when cooling air ducts are located in the attic. Radiant barriers are made of aluminum and designed to reflect radiant heat from the sun. Whether it s 110 f or 130 f there s not much difference in the amount of heat flowing from the attic to the living space below. Just make sure the ceiling is airtight and fully insulated and the temperature in the attic doesn t matter much.