Aluminum Foil Radiant Barriers are materials used to reduce heat transfer through radiation. They are typically made of a reflective aluminum foil material, which is designed to block heat that is transferred by radiation, particularly in building construction and insulation systems.
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Radiant barriers primarily function by reflecting heat that is radiated from the sun or from internal sources (like machinery or appliances). For example:
In an attic: A radiant barrier is installed under the roof deck. When sunlight hits the roof, the radiant barrier reflects the heat away from the attic, keeping the interior of the house cooler.
In walls or floors: Reflective barriers can help in reducing the amount of heat entering or leaving the building, enhancing comfort and reducing the load on air conditioning systems.
FSK (Foil-Scrim-Kraft) and Aluminum Foil Glass Cloth are both commonly used materials in Aluminum Foil Radiant Barriers, and they offer specific benefits in terms of durability, reflectivity, and insulation properties.
FSK is a laminated material made of aluminum foil, scrim, and kraft .
Reflective Properties: The aluminum foil layer in FSK reflects radiant heat away from the surface, making it an excellent choice for radiant barriers.
Durability: The scrim (reinforcing layer) increases the strength and tear resistance of the material, making it more durable than a single-layer aluminum foil barrier.
Moisture Resistance: The kraft paper layer provides some moisture resistance, helping prevent the buildup of condensation, which can lead to mold or mildew in spaces like attics.
Ease of Handling: FSK is easier to work with compared to single-layer foil barriers because of the strength and flexibility added by the scrim and kraft paper layers.
Attic Insulation: FSK radiant barriers are often used in attics, where their reflective properties help keep the home cooler by reflecting heat away from the space.
HVAC Duct Insulation: The combination of foil, scrim, and kraft makes FSK a great material for wrapping ducts to reduce heat loss or gain.
Commercial and Residential Building Insulation: FSK is also used in commercial buildings for walls, ceilings, and roofs, where it can help with both heat reflection and insulation.
Aluminum foil glass cloth is also a laminated material made of aluminum foil, and fiberglass cloth.
High Reflectivity: The aluminum foil provides excellent radiant heat reflection.
Strength and Flexibility: The scrim and kraft paper layers ensure the material is tear-resistant and easy to install.
Cost-Effective: FSK is often more affordable compared to other multi-layer insulation materials.
Reflectivity and Heat Resistance: Like other aluminum foil barriers, aluminum foil glass cloth barriers are designed to reflect radiant heat away from the building. The glass cloth adds an additional layer of heat resistance, making this type of barrier ideal for areas exposed to extreme temperatures.
Strength and Durability: The glass cloth material is strong, durable, and resistant to tearing or puncturing, even under high-stress conditions.
Lightweight: Despite the added strength of the glass cloth, this material remains lightweight and easy to install.
Moisture Resistance: The glass cloth is inherently resistant to moisture, preventing issues like mildew or mold growth.
High-Temperature Areas: Aluminum foil glass cloth is ideal for applications that experience high temperatures, such as in industrial settings or areas exposed to significant radiant heat.
Automotive Insulation: In automotive applications, this material is used for heat shields and undercarriage protection from heat sources like exhaust systems.
Building Insulation: Similar to FSK, aluminum foil glass cloth is used in residential and commercial construction to improve energy efficiency by reducing heat transfer through roofs, walls, and floors.
Enhanced Durability: The glass cloth gives the radiant barrier added strength, making it ideal for areas prone to wear and tear.
Higher Heat Resistance: Glass cloth can withstand higher temperatures, which is useful in situations where there is direct exposure to high heat sources.
Moisture and Corrosion Resistance: The glass fibers resist moisture, corrosion, and degradation, increasing the longevity of the radiant barrier.
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Both FSK and Aluminum Foil Glass Cloth provide excellent reflective properties for radiant barriers, but they differ in terms of strength, heat resistance, and moisture control.
FSK is more commonly used in residential and commercial buildings for general heat reflection and insulation, offering a good balance between cost, durability, and ease of installation.
Aluminum Foil Glass Cloth is a superior choice for areas exposed to high temperatures or environments where additional durability and moisture resistance are needed, such as in automotive or industrial applications.
FSK Shield™ is a single-sided foil facing comprised of aluminum foil bonded to natural kraft paper with a flame retardant adhesive and reinforced with tri-directional fiberglass scrim.
FSK Shield™ is intended as a class A for >25 FS insulation facing. The product also can be used as an effective vapor retarder.
The aluminum facing also reduces radiant heat transfer for added R-value or as a radiant barrier and is available in square foot rolls 54″ wide.
A radiant barrier is a product that features a low emittance surface(s) (normally aluminum foil) that is designed to significantly reduce heat transfer between a very hot and high radiating surface (bottom of a roof deck) and a cooler highly absorbent surface (i.e. insulation on top of a ceiling). Multiple low emittance surfaces, even multiple layers with enclosed air spaces, can further reduce radiant heat transfer. Effective emittance is one term that can quantify the impact of the impact of the additional surfaces. In summary, the lower the emittance (radiation rate), the better the performance. Radiant barriers have been demonstrated to achieve significant energy savings in a wide variety of building types and in multiple climate zones.
To best increase your energy efficiency, you should deal with the problem at its source, the roof, and the best way to address it is by adding a radiant barrier. A radiant barrier is specifically designed for this application and will reduce heat transfer up to 97%. The radiant barrier will improve the performance of both the air conditioning ductwork and the mass insulation and will improve comfort in garages and patios, areas that are typically not conditioned. Studies have shown that the radiant barrier / mass insulation combination out-performs mass insulation alone. Silver Shield Radiant Barrier is installed just below the roof sheathing. The idea is to stop the heat right at the source, the roof, before it gets into the attic or building envelope. Standard mass insulation is almost always installed on the surface of the ceiling, and air conditioning duct systems are almost always installed in the attic space. So without a radiant barrier, the heat would build-up in the attic and reach extreme temperatures, upwards of 140 degrees. Think about it, does it make sense to pump 55-degree air through ducts running through a super-heated attic? And does it make sense to expose insulation to extreme temperatures when the R-value rating is determined at 75 degrees, with the knowledge that the R-value rating drops as the temperature increases? No, of course not! Why let the heat get in the attic in the first place? To summarize, adding a radiant barrier simply provides more benefits over adding more insulation (cooler attic, improvement in duct performance, improvement in ceiling insulation performance, more comfortable areas of the home that are typically not insulated like the garage and patio). If you have extra money in your energy budget, do both; however, the order is radiant barrier first, more ceiling insulation second.
Condensation will occur on any surface when the temperature of the surface is at or below the “dew-point temperature” for an air-water mixture. The dew-point temperature depends on the dry-bulb temperature (measured with an ordinary thermometer) and the relative humidity in the space next to the surface. The dew-point temperature is less than or equal to the dry-bulb temperature. The two temperatures are equal when the relative humidity is 100%. Some examples of dew-point temperature:
As you can see, condensation can occur when the outside temperature is cold. Insulation below a roof deck will have an inside surface temperature that is above the roof surface temperature. The actual temperature of the inside surface depends on the amount of thermal resistance between the roof and the inside surface. The higher the resistance, the closer the interior surface temperature will be to the inside air temperature. Maintaining a reasonable inside relative humidity (less than 60%) is an important factor in preventing condensation.
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