Super Attic Shield Frequently Asked Questions What is Super Attic Shield? Super Attic Shield is a special type of reflective foil attic insulation that acts as a radiant heat barrier; meaning it actually blocks the transfer of radiant heat. How does it work? Unlike mass insulation which only slows down or resists heat transfer, Super Attic Shield reflects heat. Radiant Barrier reflects heat. By natural law, heat always goes cold - the problem people face is how to keep the heat in during the winter and how to keep heat out during the summer. There are three ways in which heat goes from warm spaces to cold spaces: 1. CONDUCTION which is when direct heat flows through a solid object such as a wall or a ceiling. 2. CONVECTION which is heat movement through air – which occurs when air is warmed. The warm expands, becoming less dense and rises. 3. RADIATION which is the movement of heat rays across air spaces from one warm object to a cooler object. The heat we feel from a wood stove or a quartz space heater is radiant heat. ALL OBJECTS AND BODIES GIVE OFF RADIANT HEAT. Even the insulation in your attic gives off radiant heat to the cold attic space during the winter, and to the living space during the summer. Regular insulation won’t stop radiant heat loss. Radiant heat must be REFLECTED with a radiant barrier. How does Super Attic Shield keep me warmer in the winter? Just like wrapping a baked potato in aluminum foil keeps a potato warm longer by holding the heat in, covering your attic insulation with Super Attic Shield holds heat in the house. Another analogy would be that Radiant Barrier in the winter works just like a space blanket, which, although very thin and lightweight, holds your body heat in. A thin space blanket can keep you warmer than several heavy blankets. How does Super Attic Shield keep me cooler in the summer? Just like a space suit, Super Attic Shield reflects the sun’s heat before it can warm up the insulation in your attic. When the insulation stays cooler, your house will stay cooler. It helps to understand how a this type of reflective insulation will work for you if you think of other things that work in much the same way. An astronaut’s space suit will keep body heat in and reflect the sun’s heat away. Thermos Bottles keep hot things hot and cold things cold. They are almost perfect insulators. The tight seal and air space prohibit heat transfer by conduction and convection. The reflective surfaces inhibit radiation heat transfer. If the bottle starts out hot, it stays hot because very little heat is transferred to the cooler outside. If it starts out cold, it stays cold because very little heat is transferred from the warmer outside. Is it safe? Yes. Super Attic Shield is a non-toxic, non-carcinogenic material that requires no protective clothing, respirator or special tools for handling. In addition, it has a Class A / Class 1 fire rating and has been extensively tested for fire safety, vapor transmission, mold and mildew resistance, emittance and smoke density, along with a full line of physical properties tests. Has Super Attic Shield been tested by outside agencies? Our product and applications have been tested by an ever growing list of agencies such as: BOCA, ICBO, SBCCI and CCMC. In addition, 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 radiant barriers provide significant resistance to heat transfer. Current tests conducted by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the University of Mississippi support the findings of 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. Where do you install a Super Attic Shield? Super Attic Shield can be laid over your present insulation like a blanket or stapled under your rafters or crawl space. Do I have to take out my old insulation to put Super Attic Shield in? No. Super Attic Shield actually makes your present insulation more effective. Do I need to have other insulation in my attic in order for this product to be effective? No. Super Attic Shield may be installed on top of your present insulation or stapled under your rafters or crawl space. Regardless of how much or how little insulation you have in your attic, Super Attic Shield will save on your heating and cooling expense and will keep you much more comfortable. Do I need a radiant barrier if my home is already well insulated? Summer Study 1: “A radiant barrier system can stop 97 percent 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. Summer Study 2: “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, Nov. 1949, Page 76. Winter Study: “CONCLUSIONS: 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, May 20, 1986. Will Super Attic Shield attract mold and mildew? Absolutely not. Super Attic Shield does not attract mold and mildew. Won’t my roof get hotter when I have Super Attic Shield in my attic? No. Super Attic Shield has been used extensively in high temperatures, showing no difference in roof temperatures, as confirmed by field tests.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:42:29 +0000
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