July 19, 2012
In the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, attic heat and humidity can wreak havoc on a home. Summer temperatures can cause attic heat and humidity to soar, often to dangerous and damaging levels. As a result, homeowners often find that their air conditioners have to work harder and longer, consuming more energy in the process, to counteract attic heat and humidity.
A radiant barrier is an effective solution to this unique problem. It works much like insulation, which is designed to resist heat movement. A radiant barrier, however, is made up of a reflective material. When installed correctly, it will reflect, or reemit, radiant heat that gathers on the outside of the attic, or the roofing materials, before it can seep into the attic space itself, causing heat and humidity to soar. As the summer sun beats down on your roof, its radiant energy heats up the roofing materials. As heat generates, it moves through the actual roof shingles and the roof itself by conduction (where heat travels through materials). The heat then radiates its energy directly into the attic space, increasing its temperature. Eventually, the floor will become very hot, which will directly affect the temperatures of the living spaces below the attic. However, a radiant barrier stops that heat in its tracks, before the conduction and radiation of that heat can affect your indoor environment and make your air-conditioning system work that much harder to keep you cool. Consider the lasting value of a radiant barrier to reduce attic heat and humidity, as it will continue to lower your cooling costs for many years to come, helping you quickly recoup the initial costs to purchase and install it. In fact, experts estimate that homeowners in warmer climates can save as much as 10 percent on their cooling costs if they install and use a radiant barrier. And that’s 10 percent every year, over the life of the radiant barrier. Contact Russell's Heating & Cooling today, and request a free home inspection. We’ll assess your attic heat and humidity, and determine if your home is a good candidate for a radiant barrier. Serving homeowners in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia since 1977. Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about preventing attic heat and humidity and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Russell’s Heating & Cooling services the Chesapeake, Virginia and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
