How It's Installed

Where do you install radiant barrier insulation?

Georgia Energy Audits Radiant Barrier Insulation can be laid over your present insulation like a blanket or stapled under your rafters or crawl space.

Do I have to take my old insulation out to put radiant barrier insulation in?

No. Radiant Barrier Insulation actually makes your present insulation more effective.

How long does it take to install?

It usually takes less than half a day from start to finish.

Can you walk on top of the material? How will I know where to walk without stepping through the insulation?

We roll the product over your attic floor in a wave pattern allowing you to easily see where the beams are to walk on. The beams are actually much more visible with radiant barrier than they are with traditional fiberglass insulation, which can hide the beams. Radiant barrier insulation is very durable; you can walk on it forever without harming it. Remember, this is the same product that is used by the fire departments to protect firefighters from flames. If any gets torn for any reason, your warranty states you receive that sectional piece delivered to you at no charge!

When the radiant barrier is installed on the bottom of the attic, can plywood then be placed over the top of it for storage purposes and still retain its insulation effectiveness?

Only if you put furring strips or spacers on top to keep at least a quarter of an inch of air space to allow heat to stay in a radiant wave in order to reflect. Heat travels in a wave and it turns into conduction heat when air space is taken away. That’s why the traditional insulation in your home today actually conducts heat right back into your home! Our advice is put the storage in an outside bin in order to insure 100% reflectivity in your home. Your bills and your comfort level will appreciate it!

Once the radiant barrier is installed what if I need to later install electrical wiring or lighting to the ceiling below? Can the insulation be pulled back and reinstalled or will this damage the material? Is the material stapled to the wood framing? Is it taped together?

This is one of the major benefits of reflective insulation. It is a two-sided blanket that is non-toxic. Electricians can easily work around the insulation by simply pulling back the radiant barrier material, doing the needed electrical work, then putting the insulation right back in place. We do not staple or tack or tape it because its natural weight doesn’t require it. When we install it, we simply overlap the sheets by 1 to 2 inches. We only use aluminum tape when we wrap your ducts.

Will the install price also include the underside of the garage roof? It gets quite hot during the summer.

The garage ceiling is not included in normal pricing because it is not part of your home’s living area. We can install it in your garage with pricing comparable to an extra bedroom. This is actually a price benefit to the customer because garage installations can take an entire day, requiring the installers to work from ladders stapling the insulation to the ceiling. If you spend any time in your garage, it is a huge benefit to have radiant barrier installed!

For more information on how Georgia Energy Audits Radiant Barrier Insulation is installed, please call to talk to an Georgia Energy Audits representative. Phone: 800-88 EAGLE (32453) or (800) 811-0466 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

Energy Saving Tips

Tip #1

Minimize ceiling and attic heat retention during summer.
As much as 83% of heat gain in the summer takes place through the ceiling and roof. Reflective insulation reflects the sun’s heat before it can penetrate your home. You use less air conditioning to keep your home comfortable all summer long. According to the Department of Energy, homeowners can expect up to 17% cooling savings depending on climate, current amount of insulation in the attic, and household energy use. Many Georgia Energy Audits customers claim to have seen even higher results, but these results have not been scientifically verified by a 3rd party.

Tip #2

Minimize ceiling and attic heat loss during the winter
Just as your ceiling and roof retains heat during the summer, it releases heat during the winter as the hot air rises and escapes through your roof. As you run your furnace during the winter to heat your home, reflective insulation in your attic reflects that heat right back into your home. You spend less money on heating while staying warm and comfortable.

Tip #3

Install Solar Attic Fans.
Consider using a solar attic fan along with your air conditioner to increase your home comfort. They can lower your air conditioning bills by up to 30%. When your attic temperatures rise in the summer, proper ventilation can reduce those high temperatures by up to 50�F. With an attic fan you can be just as comfortable with the thermostat set at 78 degrees as you would with air conditioning along set to 72 degrees. For each degree you raise the thermostat, you save you 3-5% on air conditioning costs.

Tip #4

Insulate your windows with solar screens and blinds.
Block the sun – not your view – with energy saving blinds and screens. The home cooling and energy savings potential of solar window screens and blinds is exceptional, with room temperature reduction of up to 15 degrees and savings of up to 25-30%. Solar films can also provide huge benefit when it comes to keeping a room cool. At the same time, solar screens and blinds help your home retain heat in the winter.

Tip #5

Brighten rooms naturally with tubular skylights.
Tubular Skylights allow natural sunlight to be directed from the rooftop down through a highly reflective tube, and then diffused at the ceiling level. Tubular skylights capture direct and ambient light, providing exceptional illumination, even on cloudy days and in early morning or late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky—all without using a single watt of electricity.

Tip #6

Insulate your duct system.
Duct losses from heat gain in hot attics or heat loss in cold basements or crawl spaces reduce your comfort, wear out your HVAC system and waste energy every time your unit turns on. Then, while it's off, heat moves readily through the ducting wall and either chills off or heats up the air inside. There is no need to replace your existing ductwork. A trained installer can complete the job in half a day

Tip #7

Install a programmable thermostat.
The use of a programmable thermostat to manage use throughout the day can save big money. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save about $150 every year in energy costs. It’s important to adjust for you summer living habits.

Tip #8

Replace incandescent with CFL light bulbs.
In addition to the significant energy savings CFL bulbs provide for lighting your home, they also produce virtually no heat. If you have 30 standard light bulbs on in your home, they collectively put off as much heat as a small space heater. You can keep the house much cooler by installing CFL lights.

Tip #9

Add insulation to your hot-water heater.
Since the standard hot water heater is on all the time, adding extra insulation will save more energy than you think. Experts estimate that adding insulation to your water heater and any exposed pipes can knock up to 15 percent off the costs of heating water. Caution: Be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions before taking this step.

Tip #10

Insulate with radiant barrier paint.
Truly a space age product, radiant barrier paint delivers powerful insulation to your home mixing non-toxic, chemically stable ceramic microspheres with any paint. It can be applied to the exterior and interior of your building in order to insulate it from the radiant heat of the sun. The increased reflective insulation lowers energy bills and provides protection from thermal shock.