Can You Put Radiant Barrier over Insulation?

Can you put radiant barrier over insulation? This is a question that many homeowners tend to ask themselves while seeking for ways to maximize energy efficiency and comfort within their home.

While both the insulation and the radiant barriers do play a major role in thermally protecting the interior of a building, the thought of incorporating the two rings raises some other questions. In this article, we will explore the answer in detail to help you understand the implications clearly!

Can You Put Radiant Barrier over Insulation?

Absolutely! Installing a radiant barrier over your existing attic insulation is a great way to boost your home's energy efficiency. The radiant barrier will prevent the heat from being able to break through the insulation and go into your living space.

Putting a radiant barrier over insulation is a great example of how these two materials work well together. Insulation slows down heat transfer, while radiant barriers block heat radiation, preventing heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter. Together, they create a system that enhances the normal environmental temperatures indoors without falling overly on the heating, ventilation and air conditioning apparatus.

Benefits of Putting Radiant Barrier over Insulation

Putting a radiant barrier on your insulation has some great benefits that can make your home more energy-efficient and comfortable.

Additional insulation layer

Adding an extra blanket of radiant barrier over the insulation ensures that the whole R-value of the attic insulation system is raised. R-value is the thermal resistance value of the insulation material; higher value means the insulation works better. A radiant barrier provides more extra R value on the total system than insulation alone. Thus energy economy increases as well as heat loss resistance increases.

Reflection of heat

Radiant barriers are effective in reflecting away heat that is radiant in nature. If mounted on insulation, the radiant barrier foil is capable of redirecting up to 97 percent of any radiant heat that hits it. Thus, in summer, the heat from the ceiling is permitted to escape outside, whereas in winter that heat is retained within the house.

Radiant barriers are effective in reflecting away heat

Safe addition to your home

Radiant barriers have zero toxic or carcinogenic substances, so they can be safely used in your home. They are composed of stable substances that do not gass out or emit toxic pollutants. This is super important because it helps keep indoor air clean, which is especially great for people who are sensitive to allergies or chemicals.

Our SmartFOIL Radiant Barrier is a top-notch solution designed to enhance energy efficiency. It installs easily above your existing insulation, providing excellent heat reflectivity and durability comparable to other insulation products.

How to Put Radiant Barrier over Insulation?

Installing a radiant barrier over your existing attic insulation is simple and can be done by any homeowner with basic DIY skills.

1. Start from the most extreme corner of your attic and make towards the attic door. This will prevent you from stepping over the already installed radiant barrier, thus reducing chances of damaging it.
2. Whenever you are doing radiant barrier installation, remember to overlap by an additional 2-3 inches the installed foil seams. This overlap is very important, as it helps avoid any heat loss through minor gaps that may have otherwise existed in between the sheets of the radiant barrier.
3. When encountering duct work, or a chimney, or other such obstructions, cut the radiant barrier and repair the cuts with tape so that seams are taped. Having said that, ensure to keep a lengthy barrier around these obstacles so that there is enough barrier coverage for good performance of the radiant barrier.
4. Now finalizes the work and covers the whole area of the less insulation bearing beam in the attic with a radiant barrier nearly to the level on all parts within the area covered including trimming the edges. Trim off the excess material from the borders and tape down the joints in order to complete the barrier.

Crucial Tips for Combining Radiant Barrier with Insulation

In order to optimize the benefits of your radiant barrier and insulation combination, consider the following:

• Moisture issues must be addressed by taking measures to ensure that the attic is properly ventilated. Condensation in the area between the radiant barrier and the insulation will affect the overall installation and lead to damaging moisture.
• Check for any air leaks from the ducts and seal them to inhibit the escape of treated air to the attic unconditioned. The most significant disadvantage of leaky duct systems is the reduction of the overall efficiency of insulation and a radiant barrier and the increased heat loss.
• Identify the existence of air leaks at the ceiling and seal them in order to retain the air gap in between the radiant barrier and insulation materials. This air gap is essential in ensuring that the radiant barrier does its proper duty in heating ventilation as it reflects heat, but does not touch insulation.
• Carefully apply the radiant barrier foil on top of the attic insulation without putting pressure on it. Compressing the insulation reduces its R-value, leading to delayed effects.

Following these tips will help you get the best results from your insulation and radiant barrier, making your space more energy-efficient and comfortable.

Check for any air leaks from the ducts

Improve Energy Efficiency the Easy Way with Insulation Marketplace

To wrap things up, if you're wondering, “Can You Put Radiant Barrier over Insulation?” the answer is yes! Adding a radiant barrier on top of your existing insulation is a smart move. It helps you get the most out of your insulation and makes your home cozier. Just remember to follow the installation steps and keep a few key tips in mind.

At Insulation Marketplace, you can rely on us for all your radiant barrier and insulation needs. Check out our wide range of premium radiant barriers and start saving today!