Providers of attic vents and fans claim that these products can help keep your attic cool and dry. But will additional attic ventilation substantially lower your heating and cooling bills? “It could,” says Jeff Kramer of Reflect Green. Kramer, an expert on radiant barrier systems and insulation in Phoenix, Arizona, says that attic ventilation is an important component in controlling your heating and cooling costs. “While ventilation is not the only answer to lowering your heating and cooling bills,” he says, “it’s an important, often-overlooked factor.”
Why Is Attic Ventilation Important?
Attic ventilation, Kramer says, is important for two reasons. First, inadequate ventilation can allow heat to build up in your attic during the day, eventually seeping into living spaces and causing energy costs to rise. Second, if ceiling vapor barriers are not used, moisture produced inside the home can move into the attic. If that moisture is not released, it can condense, causing deterioration of insulation and construction materials.
Attic Ventilation and Radiant Barrier Systems
If your goal is to significantly lower your utility costs, Kramer says, then attic ventilation is just one piece of the puzzle. Kramer’s company specializes in a type of system called “radiant barrier,” which is installed in the attic on the underside of the roof. “At Reflect Green,” Kramer says, “we believe strongly that radiant barrier systems are the best products on the market today for reducing heating and cooling costs.” However, he explains, there are a number of factors which, if properly addressed, could help improve the effectiveness of your radiant barrier system to save you even more money. Attic ventilation, he says, is one of those factors.
Radiant barrier systems, Kramer says, work differently than traditional insulation. Whereas traditional insulation absorbs heat (eventually allowing it to pass through into the home), a radiant barrier reflects heat back up, away from the home. Radiant barrier systems, he says, reflect up to 97% of the radiant heat transferred through your roof, significantly lowering your cooling system’s work and decreasing your energy costs.
When a radiant barrier is installed, however, proper attic ventilation is essential. “If there’s not adequate ventilation,” Kramer explains, “the heat that’s reflected up and away from the radiant barrier has nowhere to go.” This problem can be overcome, he says, by adding extra vents and installing a fan (either solar or electric) to keep the attic cool and help redirect the heat reflected by the radiant barrier up and out of the home.
Putting the Pieces Together
While the combination of a radiant barrier system and enhanced ventilation can lower any home’s energy consumption, Kramer says that the best approach to lowering heating and cooling costs is to have a trained professional conduct an energy audit. Reflect Green, he says, offers BPI certified energy audits designed to identify areas of inefficiency in the home so that you can address them in order to maximize your radiant barrier’s return on investment.
“Everything works together,” Kramer explains, “to improve your home’s energy efficiency. If you start with an audit, fix problems, and then install a radiant barrier system, you’ll see the most dramatic reductions in your energy bills.”
