Installing a Radiant Barrier in the Attic | Alternative Method to Insulate the Attic
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- Опубликовано: 13 июн 2012
- www.drenergysaver.com | 1-888-225-6260
To insulate an attic the conventional way, you need to air seal it from the conditioned space, seal and insulate existing air ducts, and line the attic floor with blown-in insulation. All of this is to be done according to the U.S. Department of Energy's recommended R-Values for attic insulation in the region, which in Ohio is between R-49 and R-60. That method establishes the attic floor as thermal boundary of the building envelope.
The problem with this method is that the attic remains unconditioned, therefore temperatures change drastically as the seasons change. The attic is very cold when it is cold outside, and on hot summer days it can reach temperatures as high as 140 degrees! If you have uninsulated air ducts running through such a hostile environment, the air that you paid to heat and cool is loosing or gaining temperature as it passes through the attic and is released into the rest of your home.
An alternative way to insulate the attic, is to make the attic a part of the conditioned space in your home. That means making the attic as cool as possible during summertime and as warm as possible during wintertime.
To accomplish this, Dr. Energy Saver recommends the SuperAttic System. In this approach, a high R-Value, 4-inch thick, and foil lined rigid foam insulation board, called SilverGlo, is fastened to the underside of the roof, leaving the soffit and ridge vents unobstructed so that the roof can be vented.
The SilverGlo boards are then taped and sealed to prevent air leakage. This process establishes the underside of the roof as the thermal boundary of the house. The insulation will prevent heat conduction in or out of the attic. The radiant barrier on both sides of the SilverGlo will reflect heat back to the outside on hot days, and to the inside on cold days.
An attic insulated with the SuperAttic System has a temperature very similar to the temperature of the living areas of your home. You can use it for storage, and the air ducts in the attic are now running through a conditioned space which conserves temperature. As a result, your home will be much easier to cool and heat.
To learn more about the SuperAttic System or to schedule your free attic evaluation anywhere in the country, visit our website or give us a call! 
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WOW😲 This looks fantastic...an attic that looks neat and organized,ducts look clean...it looks beautiful.
I live in a story and a half, so our central air does not cool the upstairs. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxxsUnXhGsSJLim_XnMHyQK0u3XVaW-CGn I ordered two of these units because our upstairs is so long with tandem rooms. I just got these three days ago and hooked them up today. These are so much easier than trying to insert window air and needing a frame for them. The Black and Decker are made really nice (actually better quality than I had expected) , they were easy to install. I only had to cut a few inches off the end of window insertion. They are not as quiet as central air , but they cooled down the room really fast and I am very happy with them. The only downfall I would say , is they will require a little more space. Our rooms are quite large, so it was no problem. I would recommend these units to anyone.
Twenty five years ago I put Reflectix (rolls of bubble wrap with foil on each side) in my former condo trussed roof. You staple its strengthened edges to the lower inside edges of the roof joists. The rolls are about 28" by 25', therefore easy to transport into attic. They were inexpensive, and you can finish in half a day. It made it so you could stay up in the attic mid-summer indefinitely. Before, you couldn't last ten minutes. I did help the lower living space in summer and winter, especially since both bedrooms had cathedral ceilings. The soffit and ridge vent should stay clear.
Sorry was it asphalt shingles what about longevity of the shingles would.you say as usual better or not ? Thanks
Hows the plywood decking and moisture level up there now? Is it still in good condition?
Leave a 6" air gap on the bottom and top of each strip, stapling the Reflectix to the bottom edges of the 2x12s. This provide ample air flow, with soffit and ridge venting within inches of the ends. @@brad2548
@@brad2548You shouldn’t have any trouble with it. You’re still getting your venting behind the foil. It’s stapled to the trusses, so there’s a channel of air for venting.
Hi great video and interesting idea. I think the advantage of this over closed or open cell directly against the roof deck is the ventilation cavity which prevents any roof rot which may occur between the deck and the spray foam. With XPS, EPS, GPS etc you're really only getting R4 to 5 an inch so at best that 4" panel is giving you R20 which is way below code in most places (usually R48 or higher). While the space is definitely more moderate than before it's probably not a bad idea to retain the existing insulation above the ceiling too. The video doesn't mention whether the space should be conditioned as well, i.e. cracking a supply or return into that space to manage humidity.
I sprayed the under side of my roof and the inside of the concrete block walls with silver paint. I insulated the rest of the house with the best rated conventional insulation and it was cost effective with excellent results.
Some of those attics look huge. That this silver barrier looks $$$
I gotta move to the Greater Cleveland area to get this? Damn, there's always a catch.
Wouldn't the foam panels get a better seal if the panel edges were shiplap joints or the foam was installed in two staggered layers?
This system works well up to point there is zero air leakage from attics to roof.
In wintertime, If there is any seam that the moist, warm air can leak from conditioned attic to the roofing, it can condensate on rafters and sheathing faster and more severe than conventional system because in conventional system, if there is any leakage from ceiling to unconditioned attic, there are still enough room for moist air before condensation forms and with reasonable attic venting, you will be fine.
This system is like cathedral or flat roof that are more susceptible to condensation
DrEnergySaver Cleveland. can i seal my attic like you did in this video with 3/4 inch foam board or 3/4 R-matte plus 3 R3.2 that is sold at home depot. if so, would i have to make a box in the raffters so that my attic fans and pull the heat out in the summer. i live in deep deep south texas were the days are 105 and the nights are in the mid 90. and winter time it doesnt get to cold, heck i went to the beech on christmas day. thank you -mike
Makes sense. My problem would be I couldn't find leaks in the roof very fast or locate them easily.
Dasdfjkl,
Yeah, that could be a problem, you killjoy.
Marvelous Wonderful the venting should prevent mold growth by drying the roof out, but if a big leaks run down those foam boards and soaks the top plate...?
Also represents some challenges to vent any future ducting, like bathroom fans or range hoods through the roof.
you'd have the same problem with a completely foam-filled ceiling too
If you can't afford 4" go with 1" foil covered on one side. I pay $8 for a 4 x 8 around here on the after market. Makes a huge difference and you loose less head room in a shallow attic. Stored items will no longer cook or freeze like before.
I agree that the rafters need to be vented but pictured here is excessive. I have a shed style roof I just built and its only 8" deep and the insulation is 4" with a 4" gap to vent. My eaves are open and the building is wonderful all year. Zero issues. I am in a mild climate which means its rarely freezing in the winter BUT its nasty hot in the summer but its as if the house was under trees its so cool. A roof doesnt require massive gaps to vent as shown here. A few inches will do it.
Is there an advantage to this silver glow stuff over regular rigid foam board insulation panels? I have to imagine it would be cheaper to buy a bunch of the panels at home depot and do this myself. Thoughts?
Where can you buy Silverglo for DIY installation?
Love this idea I was looking at spray foam but this is a do it yourself project
I bet this would cause a big problem with determining the location of roof leaks. In fact, you may not even know about roof leaks because it would divert the water away from the ceiling and by the time you knew a roof leak existed the damage to your home would be far more extensive and expensive to fix.
To cool the attic in the summer, a whole house fan installed and vented outside would take care of that problem.
Thanks for the excellent product demo, I like the idea. *What do you recommend for a 46' L X 32 W 15.5' high P-style quonset-hut?* Love the 4" and I suppose the R-Value is variable but *what are the parameters for the R-Value?* Contractor wants $6,500 for spray foam, but I think it might get cooked in the summer here just north of Phoenix, AZ where it is insanely hot for half the year or more. And I'm not sure it's the best bang for the buck. I think the contractors are making out like bandits, I would too if I could I suppose. Your 4" product appears something like an attic foam "beverage" cooler. T&G might be nice and/or a "quality" lasting seam tape that peels off instead at the edges as opposed to the use of sealant for every joint. Clearly sealant will be needed when material is custom cut and maybe there are so many variables in attic design that one is going to cut a lot anyway? I foresee all sorts of versions of this material in terms of water and fire resistance in the future and more durable or even finished surfaces. However, those products might already exist and can even be used in exterior/interior building materials if I recall. I think there is even load bearing interlocking foam with more rigid materials on the front and back which is used in other countries (maybe here) for fast emergency and/or cheap buildings. Pardon me as I am shooting from the hip. It's been a while; disabled remodeling contractor, roofer, and home inspector (previous franchisee of a major national inspection corporation -- too expensive these days!)... Now I'm more of a interested bystander, but I know how to search the net :) Thanks!
thank you for this video! Attic insulation seemed hectic and I let the professionals at Pure Eco Inc handle it
These panels look impressive and very effective : )
You can Lap cut them to make it better.
And very expensive
Soooooo when you coming to Florida, cuz every home here needs this!
Dr. Energy Saver could you please put together a video on how to obtain an R80 roof? I have been reading about passive solar homes and that they should have an R80 roof but have not found how to achieve such a roof. Your help would be greatly appreciated!
How do you cover the hip roof section to keep ventilation up the rafters? Do you have to add spacer wood?
I have a standing seam galvanized steel roof, which has lasted 98 years already. It was not constructed to ventilate. It is virtually a sealed roof. The original insulation was under the attic floor--about two or three inches of wool between the attic floor joist with floor boards covering virtually the whole attic floor. Decades ago someone installed fiberglass batting between the rafters, but the distance between the rafters varies. That together with the increasing brittleness of the backing paper of that fiberglass batting has caused it to fall out in strips. Over the years people have tried to staple it back up, with marginal success. I have removed all of that batting between the rafters. I am closing the eves with inch thick styrofoam board. My plan is to hire someone to spray a couple of inches of closed-cell polyurethane foam on the underside of the roof--between the rafters directly on the roofing lathe and the bottom side of the standing seam roofing that is visible between the pieces of lathe. How many inches of closed cell urethane spray should I have applied? I am thinking about spraying open cell foam insulation over (on the underside of) the closed sell foam. What comments do you have about this approach to improving the insulation of my house roof.
I would like to know more about this product and how to get it please
Wow, I love what I learned from this video, :) I'm gonna do this to attic by my self
Like the idea of boxing the rafters from soffit to ridge vent convection would probably be faster as the roof heats up
How exactly would you get a huge chunk of that foam with the radiant barrier up through your attic doorway? Cut it up into many small pieces?
How is the use of this going to effect the wood trusses,Alex ventilation and plywood decking in the long run ? Does this create ice bridges from one bird block o the other ? Should each birdblock/truss tail ends be individually vented with the traditional ventilation holes in each bay ?
I have never seen an attic insulator ever go through any of the extra trouble to seal the ceiling, light fixtures, and any conduit or plumbing penetrations into the attic. They just install a baffle here or there and blow it in and they're done with it. Even the best of the best for contractors!
I would like to know where I can get those Silver glow panels.
how does this product work with high wind? such as hurricane force winds to help pockets of trapped attic space air in the inner joist/beam spaces not collect depressurizing, and subsequently re-pressurization from not ripping the roof off with the limited air flow moving through the eaves vents and the ridge vent via joist or whatever now created by the sealed space?
Great approach,, for the good old school built homes,,that I as a contactor always built,,, but the new half ass builder's are convincing people to use truss,, with no benefits at all where you don't need to span over 24 feet,,,a good honest contractor would tell you that first hand,,and that you won't have any storage space at all when he's done,,saving himself on labor and maternal...
Any idea on cost per SF?
This video was very helpful. Thank you!
Would this be efficient if used as both insulation and baffles between rafters on cathedral ceilings
In Australia they insulate both under the rafters and between the ceiling joist so their homes are twice the insulation.
I've been doing this for 15 years with duct board. I offer this when selling a new heating and cooling system.
Quest - can the duct board be painted? And to get a finished look can drywall be installed over it?
So if (when) you get a roof leak, where does the rain water go and how could you possibly trace the point of the leak with the roof totally sealed off?
Looks great. Do Wonder if the insulation would get overwhelmed after say 5!hrs of sun on the roof - & then be same temp as the roof? Does it still work?
Hot air rises quickly, so if you think about it they have just created a lot of air tunnels that will circulate air (even faster I would think than an open rafter attic) from the cooler eaves (which are getting fresh air from outside the house) up thru each tunnel to the vented ridge line at the top of the roof. If I'm understanding their idea correctly at any rate. So you'll have a constant circulation between rafters drawing cooler air in at the bottom and expelling hot air at the top. And the attic space should therefore be cooler in the summertime. In the winter time, heat from the living spaces below the attic will migrate into the attic and be trapped in there keeping it warmer in the wintertime. AND, you won't have an attic space full of accumulated dust and pollen from air coming in from outside as per traditional attics (trust me, that dust and pollen in an attic suxs when you have to go up there for any reason at all!).
Why everybody keeps bitching about not being able to find roof leaks I have no idea, it's not like these same people go up into their attic every time it rains to see if there are any leaks... they're unlikely to notice a leak until the ceiling caves in in fact! With this design any leaks will be channeled down into the eaves of the roof and you will see dripping water on the underside of your eaves (instead of ceiling collapsing!) and then you'll know you have a leaking roof. If a good roofer can't locate the leak from the topside of your roof, then you just have to remove the foam board from the area of the attic directly above where the eaves are leaking and spray water on top of the roof until you can spy the leak from inside the attic (or wait till a rainstorm comes and slip into your attic and look then). At least you don't have soaking wet insulation collapsing the ceiling sheetrock this way! Trust me, I've been thru it it suxs makes a hell of a mess! I don't see any downside to this other than cost and difficulty in retro-fitting an existing attic.
wow a lot of complainers....well let me see if i can help. We had a new roof put on last year... Cool Roof tiles with this Radiant Barrier. We did research on how BAD insulation blown in can cause health concerns and I did not want any of that. Lets not even mention the fire risks. This was done in less than a week -with a whole roof replaced... and it looks AWESOME! Even in our Garage. Our Electric bill in the summer was pretty even -no spikes. And so far this COLD Winter, we are saving a little... not as much i admit. But inside temperature is much more comfortable at a lower level. Were also using a portable heater on an enclosed patio, so that would probably acct for the pricing... anyhow we are thankful to Kern Golden Roofing in Kern County for doing a great job. Only mishap i would say is ''keep tarps over anything in the garage''. The removers laid tarps but they then took them off, when it came time to put roof back on-well left a bit of a mess. Very happy with this option. Highly recommend.
And they checked the level of the current insulation, did not remove so i don't know why anyone would say there's no insulation over the ceiling. With the radiant ceiling you don't have to meet any requirement level, but i had them chk over the current to be sure there wasn't any needing patched. We still get mice in there sadly in winter...trying to find where they are getting in... through the garage we believe.
a sealed in heated mice excrement experiment. THATS gotta be good for health. ;-/
They only come on winter- but i definitely agree its not good~ they seem to stick to over my room area to drive me nuts- but then like right now they arent in there so i dont know if the dog got them when they come out. It really sounds bigger then a mouse or rat even. Again don't know how something would get in
What about condensation in humid climates like Florida? Can this age your roof or adversely effect it if installed improperly?
Hi sweety
I would like to get this done but I don’t have any ventilation system just windows and soffits. Can I still do this without causing any condensation damage?
Hi how would this radiant insulation install work in Portugal Algarve . The Algarve is hot in summer with cold nights in winter. Humidity is average 65 -85 % I think ! With a tiled exterior roof air gap ( 25mm) insulation board air gap 25mm) then plasterboard for the inner finish . Q..
1: would this be an effective install with at most 50mm radiant insulation -board .
2: is there a concern of sweating in different conditions ?
Thank you .
Can I put baffles in the stud bays then batt insulation on top of that? I have 2x6 studs on my ceiling. I have a vaulted ceiling and I wanted to insulate it and drywall it but I don't have any vents. I want to put baffles in the stud bays on the underside of the roof between the insulation. Although there's no vents there's still outside air coming in. Also, should if I use baffles should I baffle the entire stud from top to bottom or just do half to the top?
Looks like the makings of a grow room.
How do we check for roof leaks. I regularly inspect my attic for roof leaks.
Where can I get this SilverGlo? I cant find it at Home Depot or Lowes. Would it work for insulating my floors in a very old home?
Can I use this in my garage up here in Canada’s north, the same way you have it in demonstration.
This looks like the most expensive method you could use. If you're trying to REDUCE the heat in that space, I think you could use foam spray, aluminum foil, thin reflecting batts, etc. I'll bet that even spraying the underside of the roof with aluminum paint would help.Hmm, I think I'll do an experiment to check on that.
Expensive? You know how expensive spray foam is?
Lol it’s not paint it’s a vapour barrier …
So if its reflecting all that heat back on out to the roof, what is the long term effect on the shingle? unless you have a metal roof, youre looking at increasing the deterioration rate. Maybe not significantly but it seems it would have some effect.
that is why you use the CORRECT shingle type!
can u put kingspan in between roof joists
I'm just going to make a box out of this and live in it.
ROB NATION wow cool stuff, never heard of it!
Lol !!!!
SIP panels rule for new construction.
You're hilarious
Basically you are suggesting to adopt the You Tube videos covering building shelters for feral cats to building insulated boxes for humans to live in....? Lol!
I understand the concept of sealing the attic like the a living space but do you have to install another air duct coming off your unit and if you did would that make you unit run harder?.
What if I want to put a bedroom in the attic, how would i put drywall over that insulation?
In addition. The weather is similar in SW Washington minus humidity during the winter/summers. Is it typically safe to close foundation events during winter without creating dry/brown rot. Wood rot conditions?
What's the cost difference from putting closed cell on the decking? I feel like the biggest benefit would be to easily remove it if needed and re-install.
I think this will be better on the long run it's more of a hybrid approach you got a venter roof but a condition attic
I don;t know how valid my thoughts are with other effects of this system. I would be concerned the smaller air space below the shingles would make them hotter on the underside and not last as long. The radiant barrier not only reflects the heat back to the roof, but traps the shingles in between a hot UV input from the sun, and a closer, hot radiation of heat on their backside. So the expense of installing Silver Glow, and a shortened shingle life (very expensive) could make for a lot of excess money put out.
+Lee Brewer I was thinking the same thing.
Why don't they just show a temperature test in that rafter space, both with their product, and without.
cameriqueTV I'm sure it reduces it
You could look at it this way. If no foam board is installed to the rafters sure there is overall air flow. However there could be lots of stagnate areas that it’s not flowing as much as it should.
If the foam board is installed then each and every rafter void will have equal air flow. Just my thoughts.
This method is known as ´a warm roof´ in the U.K. Used mostly in new build.
I hear if your attic contains your duct work, if it gets extremely cold your ducks may quack ?
John Hales 😆
As long as you do not eat the ducts it is ok.
I only raise turkeys in my attic. No ducks. If your ducks are quacking...apply more duck tape to their beaks.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Punch yourself
What about when you have a Bounus Room and want to sheetrock the Area and use it as a Living Space?
Do you install ridge vents on every bay?
But would you get condensation on the side exposed in the attic and can mice still barrel thru the new insulation?
You would not get condensation if you have the right venting.
What's the diff between all the time sawing / installing this, and just stapling the radiant barrier fabric?
Greater R value
Lots of access required to bring these big pieces into the attic right Mike?
If you have a roof leak water from behind these, how will you see it?
will this not cause ice damming on the eves as there is no insulation between the eve vents? Is that not the purpose of the foam attic batts to allow insulation to get to the edge of the overhang?
If the attic have window will the super attic still be effective and can it be cover by a wood from both side ?
What about the rafter spaces that don't have eave vents? Usually it's only 1 in 6 that are vented.
That's substandard and probably violates code.
How would you vent the roof in a post and beam house? No room for soffit vents, and it currently has gable end vents?
What if the ridge of the roof isn't vented. But you do have vents on either side of the house for the attic. Could you still do what you're showing us?
They point at all the issues with sealing the attic floor, and sealing the attic roof instead is logical, but they then conflate this with their product, as if all the issues with sealing the attic floor (pipes, wiring, a/c ducts) are also a problem with the attic roof - which they are not.
It looks like a great product, and would be ideal for a new build or renovation, but to back-install this in many homes would be slow = expensive, compared to spraying, etc.
I just had this installed. The four inch foam blocking. Is there supposed to be fill gap foam between every piece square block? They installed it and I noticed that there wasn’t foam or caulking between each piece. I can feel some airflow and thought it was supposed to be air sealed? Also at the base where the roof meets the soffit. The foam blocking doesn’t sit flush. It sits outside and in front of the silver glow above it. I just spent 7500 and I haven’t noticed a difference. I actually had to turn my heat up. I’m worried that if the foam isn’t flush with the walls below. That any heat that comes up the wall will be lost. Is there a quality control guy I can have come out?
Does this insulation have to be covered with a "fire rated" material like sheet rock ?
Would this method work in Canada with a steel roof? I am thinking of building and using attic trusses to gain extra square footage for storage space. It makes alot of sense to me when building to use attic trusses...slightly more expensive to do but then you can literally add useful square footage in such an easy way.
Question I realize this is an old post. But I'm in fl. I'd like to do this myself. So iv got soffit vents right? But no cap vent in the top. I should still be able to do this right? Since ice ain't a concern
1. how will this material comply with R316.4 for foam plastics in attic spaces? 2. this assembly will only work if each rafter bay has its own eave vent and there is an upper vent connected to all rafter bays.
Good Day, If I was planning on replacing the old roof ( 20 yrs ) could replacing the entire roof of a 3,000 sq ft house be an option rather than this new barrier product? Using that new 4 x 8 sheets with the aluminum glued directly to each wood panel?
The Techshield decking you describe is very expensive to replace. Don't do it if your existing OSB or plywood decking is still good. Go to a roofing supply store (not Lowes or HD) and ask about a radiant barrier that takes the place of felt paper. Stuff is very thick and strong, plus very shiny and reflective. About $ 230-250 per roll and you might only need 3 rolls. Have your roofer use that.
What kind of foam is used to seal in between the the polystyrene sheets?
My vents are in like evey 4th bay so how do all the bays ventilate if coverd?
I would like to see this product installed on a pre-fab truss roof with a low pitch.
Good luck
Id like to see them do this video in my 1200 square foot home attic.
My cousins walls are made out of this stuff. His outside walls are 6 inches thick. They sandwich these between wood frames with OSB board covering both sides. They put brick on the outside and drywall inside over the OSB board. Never have to find a stud, since the whole wall is a board.
Instead of blocking, could you install the rigid foam, then put closed cell foam in there? Small amount of foam, less labor.
In the Netherlands and the rest of Europe the Roof panels are insulated so need to do it after the job is done .
That is so untrue. Many buildings in Europe do not have insulated roof panels. Only newer homes use that construction method.
Will this help neighbors from smelling decomposing bodies?
What’s the cost compared to using spray foam with proper venting.
What about attic fans and vents. Do you need to close them all up ? I'm confused.
Do you still need and erv/hrv and a dehumidifier for this concept??
This product would have to be installed in new construction format. To be retrofitted through most houses after the fact with attic access openings of 2'x4' or like our 16"x20" opening could not happen. Unless it was cut up beyond repair.
good luck getting this in your attics, this must be for mansions not the smaller homes cuz you will have to cut these into super small pieces in order to get this system in most attics. i wanna see the cost of these sheets and labor to install vs the cost savings compared to more modern blown in systems
True, but I've been planning to install an entrance to that area through the ceiling of one of my closets.. There is no way I can get up there now.
is it true that radiant barriers decrease the life of your roof?
@@inquisitvem6723 No. But don't do anything to the outside of your roof. Don't seal with clear coat or paint with reflective, etc...
Assuming you are in a very hot climate, the savings will be huge.
yes, i live in houston, texas. it is hot and humid here for like 8-9 months out of the year!
Anyone know if drywall can be installed on top of this? Long drywall screws, or furring strips to fasten drywall?
So how will you know if your roof is leaking and needs repairs. Also I was thinking the spray foam or paint but not good when you have to do replacing. My aunts house doesn't have any insulation and if you use her restroom in the summer you'll come out drenched in sweat. Why are all restrooms like that even with central air.
What's the R value?
What if you have a water leak somewhere on the roof? How would you know?
I could see where this could be useful when designing new construction, but 1) it would be a nightmare with truss built homes and 2) the roof better be built to superior standards to ensure no leaks.
But with that system, do you need to install vapor barrier on the ceiling? Thank you for answering.
Why?
I wouldn’t be surprised if it still gets hot inside an attic insulated this way. How’s the heat inside supposed to get out?
I might have missed it. I don't think you mentioned what "conditioned space" means. The house is conditioned?
He means making your attic air conditioned, just a few degrees different than the rest of the house: 2:16
Is this type of insulation not Normal in America in England most of not all builds I’ve been a part of have used this ?