Installing a Radiant Barrier in the Attic | Alternative Method to Insulate the Attic

Dr. Energy Saver Dealers
14 Jun 201205:35

TLDRLarry Janeski and Mike Rust from Dr. Energy Saver discuss alternative attic insulation methods for year-round energy efficiency and comfort. They propose converting the attic into a conditioned space by using a radiant barrier called Silver Glo, which reflects heat and prevents air leaks, resulting in a warmer attic in winter and cooler in summer. This method protects HVAC equipment, reduces ice damming, and improves overall home comfort and energy efficiency.观众们可以在大克利夫兰地区通过电话或访问网站获取更多信息，享受免费的能源评估和书面估价服务。

Takeaways

  • 🏠 There are various methods to improve a home's energy efficiency and comfort, including air sealing and insulation.
  • 🔧 Traditional insulation involves placing materials at the attic floor, but an alternative is to convert the attic into a conditioned space.
  • 🌡️ The goal of attic conversion is to minimize temperature differences by keeping the attic warm in winter and cool in summer.
  • 🛠️ This alternative method involves removing the insulation from the attic floor and instead installing it at the bottom of the roof.
  • 💡 The process uses a four-inch foamboard insulation called 'silver glow' or 'super attic' attached to the underside of the roof.
  • 🧱 Sealing the foamboard pieces with foam and tape prevents air leakage and maintains the attic's temperature consistency.
  • 🌬️ Despite the attic being insulated, the roof remains vented to prevent issues like ice dams in winter.
  • 🌞 Radiant barriers are installed on both sides of the foamboard to reflect heat, aiding in keeping the attic cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
  • 🔄 This method improves the efficiency of the HVAC system as ducts in the attic are no longer in a hostile environment.
  • 📈 As a result, homes become more comfortable and energy-efficient, with reduced energy costs.
  • 📞 For those in the Greater Cleveland area interested in this service, a free energy assessment and written estimate can be obtained by contacting Dr. Energy Saver.

Q & A

  • What is the traditional approach to insulating an attic?

    -The traditional approach involves air sealing the attic floor and using blown-in insulation like cellulose. It also includes sealing can light covers, catch doors, ducts, and insulating the ductwork, as well as sealing chimney, chase, and duct chases, and electric and pipe holes.

  • What are the potential issues with the traditional attic insulation method?

    -The traditional method leaves the attic as an outside space due to vents letting outside air in, which can lead to large temperature differences and concerns about air leakage and insulation at the lower level.

  • What is the alternative strategy to insulating an attic mentioned in the script?

    -The alternative strategy is to turn the attic into a conditioned space by moving the thermal boundary to the bottom of the roof, thereby making the attic as warm in winter and as cool in summer as the rooms below.

  • What is a 'Super Attic' and how is it created?

    -A 'Super Attic' is a system where a 4-inch piece of foamboard insulation, called SilverGlow, is fastened to the underside of the roof, from the top down to the floor joists. This sets the insulation boundary on the roof's underside, preventing air leakage and creating a conditioned space in the attic.

  • How does sealing the attic with foamboard insulation affect the airflow?

    -Sealing the attic with foamboard insulation maintains the airflow behind the insulation, ensuring that the roof remains vented but the attic itself is not, preventing ice dams in winter and making the roof cooler in summer.

  • What is the role of the radiant barrier in the 'Super Attic' system?

    -The radiant barrier reflects heat back out in the summer and helps retain heat within the attic in winter. It is applied to both sides of the foamboard insulation, reducing the workload on the insulation and contributing to a more comfortable and energy-efficient attic.

  • How does the 'Super Attic' system benefit HVAC equipment and storage items in the attic?

    -By creating a conditioned space in the attic, the 'Super Attic' system protects HVAC equipment and storage items from the harsh conditions of an unconditioned attic space, leading to longer equipment life and better storage conditions.

  • What are the benefits of having a vented roof but an unvented attic?

    -A vented roof but an unvented attic helps maintain the house's intended ventilation while creating a conditioned space in the attic, resulting in less ice damming in winter, cooler temperatures in summer, and overall improved energy efficiency.

  • How can residents of the Greater Cleveland area learn more about 'Super Attic' installations?

    -Residents can contact Dr. Energy Saver in Cleveland Ohio for a free energy assessment and a written estimate, or visit their website for more information.

  • What is the impact of the 'Super Attic' system on the comfort and energy efficiency of the home?

    -The 'Super Attic' system enhances the comfort of the home by reducing temperature differences and preventing air leakage. It also improves energy efficiency by reducing the workload on the HVAC system and insulation, leading to lower energy costs.

Outlines

00:00

🏠 Energy Efficiency and Attic Transformation

This paragraph introduces Larry Janeski and Mike Rust from Dr. Energy Saver, discussing various methods to improve home energy efficiency and comfort. Traditional approaches such as air sealing and insulation are mentioned, but the focus is on converting the attic into a conditioned space. The strategy involves making the attic as warm in winter and as cool in summer as possible to reduce temperature differences and air leakage concerns. The concept of 'Silver Glow' or 'Super Attic' is introduced, which involves attaching a four-inch foam board insulation to the underside of the roof to create a thermal boundary and prevent air leakage. The benefits of this method include preventing ice dams, having a cooler roof in summer, and maintaining a warmer attic in winter due to the radiant barrier on both sides of the insulation.

05:02

📞 How to Get a Free Energy Assessment in Greater Cleveland

In this paragraph, the focus shifts to how residents of the Greater Cleveland area can obtain more information about the energy-saving solutions discussed. It emphasizes that interested individuals can either call or visit the company's website to receive a free energy assessment and a written estimate. The conversation between Larry and Mike concludes with a thank you from Larry to Mike for the valuable information shared, highlighting the company's readiness to assist homeowners in enhancing their home's energy efficiency.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Radiant Barrier

A radiant barrier is a material designed to reduce heat transfer through radiation. In the context of the video, it is used on both sides of the foamboard insulation to reflect heat back outside during summer and to retain heat inside the attic during winter. This helps in maintaining a cooler attic in summer and a warmer space in winter, enhancing the energy efficiency of the home.

💡Attic

An attic is a space or room just below the pitched roof of a house. In the video, the attic is the focus of the energy efficiency discussion, where traditional methods and an alternative method, turning the attic into a conditioned space, are compared. The goal is to make the attic as comfortable and energy-efficient as the living spaces below.

💡Insulation

Insulation is a material that inhibits the transfer of heat or cold. In the video, it is discussed as a critical component in making the attic more energy-efficient. The conventional approach involves blown-in cellulose insulation, while the alternative method involves using foamboard insulation with a radiant barrier.

💡Air Sealing

Air sealing is the process of preventing drafts and the infiltration of outside air by sealing gaps and cracks in a building's envelope. In the video, air sealing the attic floor is mentioned as a part of the conventional approach to increasing a home's energy efficiency.

💡Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency refers to the measures taken to reduce the amount of energy required to provide the same level of service or comfort. In the video, the main theme revolves around improving a home's energy efficiency through various attic treatments, with a focus on making the attic space more like the conditioned spaces below.

💡 conditioned space

A conditioned space is an area within a building that is actively heated, cooled, or ventilated to maintain a comfortable environment. In the video, the goal is to transform the attic into a conditioned space, which is typically not the case with conventional methods that leave the attic as an unconditioned, vented space.

💡Thermal Boundary

A thermal boundary is a point or area in a building where heat transfer is significantly reduced or stopped. In the video, the traditional thermal boundary is at the attic floor, but the alternative method moves it to the underside of the roof, effectively turning the attic into a conditioned space.

💡Vented Roof

A vented roof is a roofing system that allows for air circulation underneath it to help regulate temperature and moisture. In the video, it is important that the roof remains vented while the attic is made into an unvented, conditioned space to prevent ice dams and maintain proper ventilation.

💡Ice Dams

Ice dams are formations of ice that occur when warm air from inside a building leaks into the attic, melts the snow on the roof, and then refreezes when it comes into contact with the cold roof surface. In the video, making the attic a conditioned space helps to prevent ice dams by keeping the underside of the roof cold during winter.

💡HVAC Equipment

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. It refers to the systems and equipment used for heating, cooling, and ventilating a building. In the video, it is mentioned that protecting HVAC equipment in the attic from air leaks and insulation is important, and the alternative attic insulation method helps achieve this by creating a more controlled environment.

💡Energy Assessment

An energy assessment is a professional evaluation of a building's energy consumption and efficiency. In the video, it is mentioned as a service provided to homeowners in the Greater Cleveland area to help them understand their home's energy performance and identify areas for improvement.

Highlights

Larry Janeski and Mike Rust from Dr. Energy Saver discuss alternative attic insulation methods.

Traditional attic insulation involves air sealing and blown-in cellulose, but a new strategy aims to condition the attic space.

The goal of attic conditioning is to minimize temperature differences and air leakage at the lower levels of the home.

In summer, attics can reach 140 degrees, while in winter, they can be as cold as 30 degrees due to ventilation.

The conventional approach places insulation at the attic floor or ceiling, but this method leaves the attic like an outside space.

The alternative method moves the thermal boundary to the bottom of the roof, creating an unvented attic.

SilverGlow, or Super Attic, is a 4-inch foam board insulation attached to the underside of the roof.

Foam boards are sealed with foam and tape to prevent air leakage and create an airtight seal.

A vented roof but unvented attic helps prevent ice dams in winter while maintaining proper ventilation.

Radiant barriers on both sides of the insulation reflect heat, keeping the attic cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

Ducts in the attic are no longer in a hostile environment, operating at temperatures similar to the conditioned rooms below.

This method enhances home comfort and energy efficiency by reducing the workload on insulation and utilizing ventilation.

Dr. Energy Saver offers free energy assessments and written estimates for those in the Greater Cleveland area.

The Super Attic method is a significant innovation in home energy efficiency and comfort.

Proper attic treatment can lead to substantial energy savings and improved indoor conditions.

Attic conditioning is a practical application of energy efficiency principles in home construction and renovation.

The radiant barrier's dual-sided application is a notable innovation in attic insulation techniques.

By redefining the thermal boundary, the Super Attic method transforms the attic from an outside space to a conditioned one.

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