What is a Radiant Barrier and How does it Work?

It is hot outside in the summer months and all of us would like to stay a little cooler and save some money on those expensive electrical bills. Typically, we look at our Permakote® Elastomeric Roof Coating System as the best defense against radiant energy from the sun, but what if I told you there was another option to stack with the coatings to provide the best defense out there?

Since 1989, the US Department of Energy has sponsored significant research relating to radiant barriers. The United States Department of Defense used it in liquid form on NATO vehicles to hide their heat trace. Nationwide Protective Coatings has developed Alumashield™, the industry go-to product to drastically lower attic and crawl space temperatures thus eliminating heat transfer to inside the home (structure).

Alumashield™ is an aluminum filled, water-based, low emissivity Interior Radiation Control Coating applied to the interior of the roof framing and designed to reduce the heat transfer during the day from the roofing to the insulation and heat transfer from the insulation to the roofing at night by reducing the radiative heat transfer across the airspace. Radiant heat transfer occurs between objects of different temperatures, and always moves from hot to cold. The temperature difference determines the intensity of the net radiant transfer. This is why proper airspace, at least 2 inches, is needed so the coating can perform its reflectivity from going through the substrate to which it is applied and prevents the heat from being absorbed. If any is it will not be emitted as radiation.

It has been around for generations and everyone in the United States has used aluminum in some capacity because it blocks heat transfer. Aluminum's main property is it reflects heat from being transferred to the cooler surface it covers. Developed over 100 years ago, it has been used to keep chocolate candy from melting (ie Hershey Kisses), as well as sandwiches, hot dogs and your Thanksgiving turkey warm. Let's talk turkey, when you cook a turkey you cover it with a tent of aluminum foil. It blocks the heat which prevents the bird from drying out. With 30 minutes to go you remove the aluminum foil barrier which allows the heat to brown the meat. Your great grandmother used radiant barriers made of aluminum and tin. Your attic is like an oven. If you spray a thin coating of aluminum on the plywood under the roofing substrate you have essentially tented your attic and blocked the transfer of heat. 

Most structures across the planet can benefit from improved heat transfer and the inclusion of radiant barriers, whether applied at the time of construction or later on. This is not a new technology but rather one that is unknown to the masses and has tremendous benefits that can be noticed immediately. Give us a call and let's discuss some projects together and how we can include a radiant barrier on your next coating job! You can also find out more on the product page here - https://www.nationwidecoatings.com/pl/radiant-barrier-paint