Building Consultant
Radiant barriers are cool! Well, actually they get quite warm, but they help the space below them stay cooler when used on a roof assembly above an unconditioned attic. They can drop the temperature of an attic about 20° F.
But are they cost effective? How much in actual savings on your energy bills can you expect if you pay to get a radiant barrier installed during construction of your new home?
I’ve lost count of the number of homes I’ve inspected that have folding stairway built into the hallway or laundry room ceiling. More often than not the folding legs are not trimmed to the correct length or properly secured to the framing.
What if you went to the grocery store each day or each week and at the end of the month the store sent you a bill for all the food you’d bought. No specifics details on how many gallons of milk or boxes of cereal, just a big bill and a thank you. Well, that’s how we buy electrical power. One bill, you have no idea which room or appliance used the product or if your meter has made a math error. How can you effectively manage something you don’t measure? It’s simple…you can’t.