It’s easy to explain the heat away here in Southern Louisiana. With the high temperatures and suffocating humidity, being hot simply comes with the territory. Maybe you’ve even done your research on A/C units and you know that your system just can’t keep up with more than a 20-degree difference than the temperature outside, so you’ve accepted your fate.
What if I told you, it’s not just the temperature or humidity that are warming your home? The answer may in fact be that radiant energy has found a way into your home but hey, we have a solution for that!
What is Radiant Energy?
Radiant energy is infrared energy (particularly electromagnetic radiation such as heat or x-rays) that travels via waves or particles at the speed of light until it’s either absorbed or reflected.
The easiest way to understand how these phantom waves affect your home is by turning to your own microwave for a simplified example.
Imagine that your microwave – a strong metal box with reflective walls– is your home and the source of heat (a magnetron) is the sun.
The magnetron in a microwave (the sun) emits electromagnetic waves which feel like heat to you and I into the metal box (your home), the waves get trapped inside via the reflective metal walls and they bounce around only penetrating the non-reflective surfaces (you) to warm it.
So, what happens when you take the concept of reflective walls in your “microwave” and use it on insulation that reflects electromagnetic waves and particles away from your home? RADIANT BARRIER INSULATION!
Attic Foil – A Sunshade for Your Home
Mr. Green Jeans uses Attic Foil® exclusively when it comes to radiant barrier insulation. This technology is like a sunshade for your home, deflecting the radiant energy away from your attic and walls, so they don’t heat up as much.
With Attic Foil less radiant energy will penetrate your home via your attic & less heat will be absorbed and transferred to you. That means you’re less your A/C system must work to effectively cool your home
Radiant barriers can be installed on all homes, including new construction or remodels, to replace the Tyvek or other house wrap material around the structure.
Is Radiant Barrier Insulation Right for Me?
Radiant Barriers aren’t for everyone. In some scenarios (existing homes with vaulted cathedral ceilings or little attic space) blown in or cellulose may be a more appropriate solution*.
This insulation does tend to have a more pronounced effect on large surface areas. For example, a sprawling one story with A LOT of attic space is more likely to see a bigger difference in savings and efficiency because the attic is responsible for more of the heat absorption/transfer to the home than in a 2-3 story home.
Radiant Barrier insulation has proven to save Baton Rouge and New Orleans homeowners who have them, anywhere from 5% to 25% of their energy costs according to research done by Attic Foil®.
How much could you be saving? Get your latest utility bill out now and do the math!
We Believe
Mr. Green Jeans believes in giving you all the information you need to make an educated decision. Which is why we’re busy trying to get the word out on radiant barrier technology!
Don’t suffer through the Southeastern Louisiana or skyrocket your electricity bill. If you’d like to see your home at maximum efficiency and your utility bill as low as possible all while enjoying your cool, well insulated home call us!
*We’ll be happy to suggest the best home insulation for your specific situation after a quick phone call.
Turn to Mr. Green Jeans for a radiant barrier – an economical, long-lasting method of keeping your home cool. Schedule an appointment online today or get your radiant barrier questions answered by giving us a call at (225) 644-0548 in Baton Rouge, or (504) 754-0075 in New Orleans.
