Benefits of Radiant Barrier Roof Sheathing | Murrells Inlet Green Home Builder

Benefits of Radiant Barrier Roof Sheathing

Homes in hot climates will often have high utility costs due to the need of cooling the home during extremely high temperatures. To combat this many homeowners turn to energy-efficient air-conditioning units and increased insulation, but they often overlook one home improvement that could significantly reduce their cooling costs. This green home improvement is a radiant barrier. This article will take a look at the benefits of radiant barrier roof sheathing when it comes to keeping your house comfortable while reducing your energy bills.

What is a Radiant Barrier?

Before we get too far it is important to understand what a radiant barrier is and how it works. A radiant barrier is composed of an aluminum sheet that is placed in the attic or just below the roof sheathing. Your roof and attic are the hottest parts of your home because the dark shingles on the house attract and absorb the heat from the sun. While this can be great if you are living in a cold climate, those in the Southern states where warmth and sunshine are the norm face higher heating costs due to this heat buildup. The thin layer of aluminum acts as a block to radiant heat transfer from the roof to the home. This keeps your attic cooler, which means your home requires less energy to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.

Reduce Energy Costs

With less heat being emitted from the roofs hot shingles the high energy costs of running an air-conditioning unit on a hot summer day are greatly reduced. While there is never a way to completely eliminate the need for cooling, the reduced heat buildup in the attic means that your A/C unit will have to run less often and for shorter periods of time while continuing to maintain a comfortable temperature indoors. This means that you're electric bills will be much lower. In fact, it takes very little time for the radiant barrier to pay for itself.

Reduce Your Carbon Emissions

By using less energy to cool your home you are also limiting the amount of carbon emissions that would be released into the atmosphere. This lower carbon footprint means that your home is “greener” and your family has lessened its negative impact on the environment.

Improve Comfort of Unconditioned Spaces

An additional benefit to adding radiant barrier sheathing to your home is that the unconditioned spaces become more comfortable. These areas include the attic, garage, covered porch, etc. With less heat radiated into these spaces it is easier to make use of this square footage that would otherwise be unbearably hot. This opens up how you can use your home and allows for a more spacious and comfortable living environment.

If you want to improve your home's energy efficiency while saving money on your utility bills, then you should consider installing a radiant barrier to your home. The advanced radiant barrier roof sheathing that is available today allows you to easily install this green home improvement to any home or structure, so that you can enjoy the benefits of an improved living environment while saving money. CRG Construction uses radiant barrier roof sheathing in every home we build.