RED SEAL® RADIANT BARRIER
Our product Red Seal® Radiant Barrier® is an engineered, multi-layered aluminum, double sided, laminated, heavy duty and heavy weight, energy saving material installed in the attics of homes and commercial buildings that is excellent at reflecting heat and poor at absorbing heat. It comes in rolls of solid laminated foil and never in a liquid spray-on.
Radiant heat is generated by a multitude of the things around us. In summer, the sun is the primary source of radiant energy. It heats the roof and the exterior of your home, and this heat eventually is conducted into the interior. During the summer time the Red Seal® Radiant Barrier helps keep your home cool by reflecting back the suns radiant energy and preventing heat build-up in your attic. During the winter time working in conjunction with adequate insulation, Red Seal Radiant Barrier prevents cold air to penetrate the house envelope ceiling and walls (if installed) and retains the heated air necessary for comfort inside the home, thus reducing the use of energy to heat your home or office building.
Absolutely! Red Seal® Radiant Barrier material properly installed is an innovative application of a high-tech material that reflects radiant heat much better than any of the spray-on applications. Our product has the greatest advantages over the spray-on method by the following benefits: lab demonstrated performance and certifications, cheaper pricing, better coverage, healthier product and a longer and more effective life-span.
Well that is definitely your choice. However, keep in mind as your home or building gets older, it requires increasing more maintenance and repairs. In addition the cost of electricity, natural gas and heating oil, the cost of energy goes up every year in addition to the inflation. Do you remember any time when your energy provider has reduced their rates for your benefit? That will be a first for us. If you do not want to reduce your house or building energy consumption, there is no problem, you will continue to pay big every month to the energy providers. They love you, after all people that are not willing to do anything about their rising energy cost are the ones that keep them in business year after year. You can either do something about your energy cost, make an investment that once recouped it will continue to create savings for you for the years to come, or do nothing. it is your choice!
The great thing about installing a Red Seal® Radiant Barrier System into your home is that you cannot block anymore heat, insulate any better or ventilate any more air. In most cases, you have maximized the potential of your attic to save energy dollars. Savings will differ from home to home. There are a lot of variables that go into savings but the bottom line is if all variables remain constant (temperature, amount of sunlight, price of electricity or gas, thermostat temperature constant, etc.), the customer WILL save energy dollars, anywhere from 10-30%. Based on our conservative calculations (will be more than happy to share them with you during our appointment) most of our clients will recoup their initial investment (without any of the qualifying tax credits or rebates applied) within 2 to 3 years. After that period of time, the monthly savings will continue for as long as you own your house. Because our prices are fair and competitive and our products are effective, your Rate of Return of the initial investment is much shorter and quicker than that of any of our competitors. In addition keep in mind that the 2009/2010 reenactment of the Energy Tax Credit makes the return of the initial investment / ROI even shorter, due to the fact that you are going to receive a tax credit for the purchase of our products. Please see the tab called INCENTIVES pertaining to this information.
No! While insulation is extremely important, alone it will not stop radiant heat transfer. Red Seal® Radiant Barrier® works best in combination with effective insulation solutions and proper attic ventilation to maximize your homes energy efficiency and savings.
Independent research labs in the U.S. and Europe have tested our engineered Red Seal® Radiant Barriers® and have confirmed their low emissivity values (the amount of radiant heat that can pass through it). Many utility companies around the United States have validated these findings by offering significant rebates for customers that install radiant barriers - check with your energy provider to see if you qualify. The US Environmental Protection Agency\ EPA classifies our Red Seal Radiant Barrier® and Red Seal Metalized HDF® as an Energy Star labeled product because it meets the Federal Trade Commission\ FTC definition, specs and standards for residential and commercial insulation applications.
We offer both a one year limited workmanship warranty as well as a product warranty of 25 years, protecting you and your investment.
Depending on the age of your house/building, weather & climate conditions and quality of your roof, over time the accumulation of dust and any possible grime on your radiant barrier may diminish its effectiveness on the top side. That is why our product has been engineered as a double sided radiant barrier, so you will be all right and still enjoy peace of mind for your investment.
For best performance and results our Red Seal® Radiant Barrier is best installed in the attic of homes on the roof decking and rafters. The purpose of a radiant barrier is two fold: to reduce the amount of heat entering your attic space, this way reducing considerably the workload for your insulation, duct work and HVAC System, and second to retain the cold air inside the building envelope during the summer time or the heat during the winter time. Depending on the age of your home, roof size, attic clearance, HVAC System, duct-work location,and outside weather climate, some installations, especially will require a combination of installation of our product, on the roof rafters and on the floor of your attic right on top of the insulation.
All materials have some degree of reflectivity and re-transmission of heat. The shingles, tar, and plywood comprising a typical roof absorb radiant heat from the sun and conduct this heat through to the plywood decking. Because plywood decking emits approximately 90% of its heat, your attic gets very hot. A Red Seal® Radiant Barrier installed to the underside of the roof decking or rafters would emit only 2.5% of the heat from the plywood decking resulting in an overall cooler attic which means less heat to enter your living spaces resulting in lower utility bills.
Although Red Seal Radiant Barrier® blocks 98.5% of radiant heat in your attic environment, your utility bills savings will vary because some homes are built more energy efficient than others and also because of other forms of heat flow in a building structure that contribute to the total cooling (or heating) load. Data varies by region. Based on Department of Energy radiant barrier studies, economical savings on monthly cooling costs have been found as high as 30%.
Basic kitchen foil is not the same as a Red Seal® Radiant Barrier. Basic kitchen foil is much thinner than a typical radiant barrier product and lacks the middle scrim layer that adds durability in the form of puncture and tear resistance that exists in Red Seal® Radiant Barrier. Our product is almost impossible to tear by hand unlike typical kitchen foils. More importantly, the shiniest of kitchen foils only reflects an average of 85% of the radiant heat whereas Red Seal® Radiant Barrier reflect a much higher percentage at 98.5%. Also, our radiant barrier foil insulation products are available in a perforated version to allow moisture to pass thru reducing condensation. Kitchen foil is not perforated and therefore, traps moisture.
There is a big difference! A true radiant barrier reflects 90% or more of the radiant heat. The most effective reflective paint reflects at its best only 75% of the radiant heat. Such reflective spray-on paints are NOT radiant barriers as they do not meet the minimum standard of 90% reflectivity requirement set forth for radiant barriers by the Department of Energy (DOE).
A radiant barrier may cause an increase in shingle temperature between 2-5 degrees Fahrenheit on a hot summer day. Given that shingle temperatures on a hat day is in the range of 160-190 Fahrenheit degrees, this increase is negligible and does not accelerate or affect shingle degradation. Radiant barrier foil insulation has been used extensively in the south, showing negligible differences in roof temperatures, as confirmed by field tests. Roofing material warranties are not affected by the installation of Red Seal Radiant Barrier.
Because radiant barriers reflect the radiant heat rays that strike them back in the opposite direction from which they came, modest concerns have been raised about the possible increase in roofing temperatures and the effect of increased temperatures on roof shingles.According to the Reflective Insulation Manufactures Association's (RIMA) independent study, a radiant barrier may cause an increase in shingle temperature between 2-5 degrees Fahrenheit on a hot summer day. Given that shingle temperature at that time is in the range of 160-190 degrees, this increase is negligible and does not accelerate shingle degradation. Although roofing manufacturers were concerned about shingle failure over the years when radiant barriers were first used, it is no longer an issue. Roofing material warranties are not affected by the installation of radiant barriers. Please read this roof shingle temperature study for more details.The Florida Solar Energy Center also conducted a study on the use of radiant barriers under shingle roofs and found that properly installed radiant barriers do not void the warranty for the shingles.
Without a radiant barrier in place, radiant energy from the sun heats the roof decking and then radiates from the roof decking into an attic and is absorbed by any existing heat absorbing insulation in the attic. As the sun sets and the attic temperature begins to level itself with the outdoor ambient temperature, the attic insulation is still radiating the heat it has absorbed throughout the day. In essence, the heat absorbing insulation is similar to a hot piece of coal in your attic that is slowing emitting heat throughout the early evening therefore, extending an increase in roof temperatures into the early evening than if a radiant barrier had been in place. Without a radiant barrier in place, your existing insulation and roof stay hotter into the early evening causing your air conditioning system to work harder and longer into the evening to keep your home cool.
Radiant barriers do not "absorb" heat like mass insulation (fiberglass, cellulose, foam, etc). Instead, our Red Seal Radiant Barrier® with its double sided highly reflective surfaces, reflect 98.5% of the radiant heat that hits its surfaces and therefore, has no R-value rating . Installing a radiant barrier between the heat source (sun) and an existing R-Value rated mass insulation will improve the effectiveness of the R-Value rated mass insulation. Why? Because only 2.5% of the radiant heat is now hitting the R-Value rated mass insulation thereby extending the amount of time it has to absorb heat before becoming saturated and passing the heat into your living spaces.
No. Our Red Seal® Radiant Barrier works independently of any other insulation products. However, it complements any additional insulation you wish to add in your building for the purpose of more efficient insulation. If you currently have no insulation in your attic space, you will most likely see a greater reduction in your utility bill by adding a radiant barrier than someone adding a radiant barrier to an attic full of existing insulation. This does not mean that you do not need any other insulation products in your attic. Mass insulation, like fiberglass insulation, cotton and rock wool, a.s.o, all work to protect your building against conductive and convective heat flow and therefore, when used in combination with our Red Seal® Radiant Barrier, they give the best overall protection for reducing the transfer of heat or cold into your living or work environment.
Yes you do! Regardless of how much insulation you have in your attic, adding a Red Seal® Radiant Barrier will save on your heating and cooling expense, and keep you work or living space much more comfortable. Energy savings for heating and cooling can be as much as 30%, depending on a number of factors including: climate, building configuration, building age, roof age, roof materials used, site location, number of people either living or working in the building. Quotes from notable studies on Radiant Barriers: "A radiant barrier system can stop 97% of the thermal radiation across an attic space. If it is not stopped, that radiant energy would be absorbed by the ceiling insulation and eventually be transferred to the living space below." "The Solar Collector," Quarterly Newsletter of the Florida Solar Energy Center. "The heat storage capacity of reflective insulation is low. As a result, it does not store heat during summer days, only to pass it on down into the rooms of the house from the attic at night when coolness is most apt to be desired from the point of view of sleeping comfort." "Progressive Architecture," "Reflective foil retrofitted to fiberglass insulated . . . buildings is demonstrably effective in reducing heat loss . . . Installation of foil in uninsulated buildings would show even more pronounced reduction in heat loss." "Effects of Reflective Foil On Heat Loss in Attic Floors and Metal Building Installations," Northeastern Illinois University, Prof. Charles Shabica. David W. Yarbrough, Phd, PE of the Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association (RIMA) tested the reflectivity and its converse (emissivity) of 16 leading radiant barrier paints and presented his results on June 20, 2006. As you can see from the testing results below, the emittance of radiant barrier paints is varied across manufacturer and products. ** NOTE: Only 4 of the products actually satisfy the ASTM requirements set forth for an interior coating intended to reduce radiant heat transfer to and from the coated surface. Radiant barrier foils emit only 3% making them by FAR SUPERIOR to any of the so called radiant barrier spray-on paints. Below are the results of the RIMA Radiant Barrier Test. For additional information please search their web site. Emittance Definition: emittance is the amount of radiant heat that passes through the product (that is NOT blocked) Product Manufacturer/Distributor (remember that for emittance -Lower is always Better!)RED SEAL® Radiant Barrier Foil Insulation .03 Lowest Possible - BEST Because Foil Radiant Barriers block substantially more heat than so-called "radiant barrier paints spray-on," your Return-On-Investment (ROI) can be achieved much sooner.
The Florida Solar Energy Center at Cape Canaveral has tested radiant barriers in both small scale laboratory and full scale building models. Their results indicate that radiation barriers provide significant resistance to heat transfer. Current tests conducted by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the University of Mississippi support the findings at the Florida Solar Energy Center. Northeastern Illinois University conducted winter tests in residential and commercial structures using infra-red thermograph photography. The photos showed significant resistance to heat transfer over the regular insulation. Reliable individual brands of radiant barrier products are tested by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and result in verified and uniform product specifications that can be trusted when researching a radiant barrier to purchase. All Red Seal Radiant Barrier® products meet the Standard Specifications for Sheet Radiant Barriers for Building Construction Applications ASTM C1313 and the state of California Title 24 Insulation Standards.
When installing a radiant barrier over the attic floor, over existing insulation in place or not, you MUST use a perforated radiant barrier. This is because moisture-laden air generated in your home from breathing, washing clothes, bathing, running the dishwasher, etc travels upwards and must be able to pass through the radiant barrier to escape your attic. If a solid radiant barrier were used in this location, it would trap the moisture in the air and condensate resulting in water droplets that would drip onto your insulation/attic floor and rafters causing damage. Our Red Seal® Radiant Barrier comes in both a perforated (breathable) and solid (vapor barrier) version.
If you are using a radiant barrier in wall cavities as a house wrap you must use a non-perforated (SOLID) Red Seal® Radiant Barrier. If you are located in high humidity / high hydrostatic pressure areas between southern tip of Texas to the North-South Carolina border, all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and the Golf of Mexico and you have a stucco structure, OR you are installing a Radiant Barrier in a cathedral ceiling application between the insulation and the ceiling drywall, you must use a solid, non-perforated Red Seal® Radiant Barrier. For more information regarding vapor barriers, please visit the following websites: Vapor Barriers - DOE
Usually there are no problems. Why? Most of the cell phone transmissions are hitting a home from all directions. So, even If the radiant barrier may reduce the cell transmissions through the roof area, most likely the cell phone signal will continue to pass through the walls and windows. We have done an easy test in our lab location. We took several samples of our product batches, made several foil envelopes and put several cell phone models inside each envelope. The result of our test was that only some older model cell phones had some reception issues. It seems that the newer phone models work even better. Why? We are not cell phone specialists, but we found that there is good reception and there are no problems with our product installed. Please be aware that if your home or neighborhood already has poor cell reception, then installing a radiant barrier may or may not affect the cell reception. If you are concerned by this matter and have poor cell phone reception we recommend that you install an external booster antenna. RADIANT BARRIER FIRE TESTING INFORMATION
The “new” fire codes have recently caused a lot of confusion. As an educated customer it is important to get all the facts straight. Some companies have resorted to “scare” tactics to imply that pure aluminum foil radiant barrier products are somehow inferior to metalized film products. Allow us to clarify this matter for you. We at Red Seal® USA have BOTH products to meet the particular needs of our customer. We strongly believe that the Red Seal Radiant Barrier® is the best product available! If you need a product that meets the new ASTM E2599 test, then Red Seal Metalized HDF® is right for you. Instead of using pure aluminum on the outer layers, Red Seal Metalized HDF® is a Radiant Barrier film with a Mylar type outer layer.
Not all construction code are created equal., and they all differ from state to state.There is a huge discrepancy between how some states are implementing construction codes. When (and if) these tests are adopted by the different states and counties, most likely the codes typically apply to new construction first and not retrofitting existing homes. In fact, most buildings codes have NOT adopted the new ASTM tests at this time.
Another thing to consider is the actual burn test. Having a Class A / Class 1 Fire rating does NOT mean the products will not burn. All Radiant Barrier type products WILL burn. These products and all competitors products are NOT FIREPROOF. The classifications are a measure of the burning characteristics of the product. Aluminum Foil Radiant Barrier Products are pretty difficult to START burning, but once they “flash” the polyethylene scrim inside will continue to burn at a relatively slow rate. Ironically, Red Seal Metalized HDF® - the Metalized Film Radiant Barrier product starts burning very easily and burn very quickly. In fact, this is the reason Red Seal Metalized HDF® can “PASS” the new E2599 test. The metalized film products actually burn up faster and therefore product less total smoke in an E84 burn tunnel test. It does not make a whole lot of sense, but these are the facts.
We encourage you to get both of our products and put them to the test. Do you want a product that is harder to START burning, or do you want a product that will BURN UP QUICKLY? There are many different conflicting opinions on which burn theory is best. One product will resist burning all together and the other product may burn up quickly and not cause other items to catch fire. Compare how they burn when a flame is exposed to both the surface and to the edges. You will see that the pure aluminum Red Seal Radiant Barrier is much more difficult to get burning. In fact, there are many cases where a fire inside an attic was actually SLOWED down or smothered due to the fireproof quality of the layer of pure aluminum. Metalized Film Radiant Barrier share some of the same product qualities with the product used to make silver potato chip bags. Metalized Film Radiant Barrier products offers less protection against a flame and EASILY will catch fire if exposed to any flame.
We can assist you in the product selection depending on your application needs. We also highly encourage you to do your own research, get the facts and decide which product is best fit for your application.
If you are shopping for a Radiant Barrier, many vendors on the market call the product many different names. Many market these products with fancy names and some are making outrageous claims. For example another vendor labels their 13 lb product "Premium" when in reality it is not. Here is a little secret. They all have about the same 99% pure aluminium quality.I t may not be the same layer on both sides. However, the main difference is the scrim which is the inner layer, or the core. The heavier the scrim the stronger the foil. Do not make your selection only by the name of the product, go by the weight of the product. We at Red Seal USA only sell the heavy duty and heavy weight Radiant Barrier. SUMMARY OF FACTS:
We strongly encourage all our clients to perform proper due diligence when selecting any company claiming to sell or install radiant barriers. Please be aware that our product has been copied many times but it was never truly duplicated. The following questions should help you during your due diligence:
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