Radiant barriers are a type of in home barrier that is optimal for keeping your home energy efficient and affordable to maintain. In almost every case, a radiant barrier is coated with a highly powerful and reflective aluminum foil, and attached to another material, such as a gauze, thin mesh, paper, or even wood.

While radiant barriers can be installed in a number of ways, the most commonly used method is for installing them in the attic area. Directly on top of pre-existing insulation, it will make a huge difference in your home. Don’t be fooled into thinking they are the same as other insulation types though, radiant barriers are specifically designed to reduce the amount of heat that is transferred. Regular insulation also does this, but since there are gaps in the insulation, air can leak. This causes a huge loss in heat or cooling, and adds to your energy costs. Depending on where you live and your homes set up, you could be losing more money than you think. For example, if the day is extremely hot and heat is coming into your home from the roof, your air conditioner is working overtime to continuously cool your home. This causes a spike in costs, especially if you live in an area with temperatures reaching 100 F or higher.

Radiant barriers are also easy to install, many do-it-yourselfers can easily install a set up with little or no trouble at all. It is also cheaper to do it yourself, and you can minimize the worry about hiring a reliable contractor.

The cost you can expect to pay will vary widely across the board. A new home will be cheaper to install it in, while an older one will cost significantly more. Specialized barriers will also cost more than your basic radiant barrier. Packages are usually available for this sort of thing, but you should always ask for a list and a cost of each thing separately. In the end, you have a lot to benefit from if you add radiant reflective barriers to your home.