Attic Insulation Radiation Vs Conduction

By the end of a hot summer day expect the air temperature in some spots of your attic to reach over 140 degrees.

Attic insulation radiation vs conduction.

While conduction is the transfer of heat energy by direct contact convection is the movement of heat by actual motion of matter. Radiant barriers prevent heat transfer through radiation only. Once temperatures soar that high there is little that the conventional insulation types like batt and blown combatting convective air transfer can do to stop the heat before it makes its way to the living spaces of your home. Radiant barriers are installed in homes usually in attics primarily to reduce summer heat gain and reduce cooling costs.

Convection is when heat is transferred through the air inside the attic and heats the insulation and conduction occurs when heat moves through the insulation to the building below. Conduction is best represented through heating a pot of water on the stove. Emissivity or emittance measures how much radiant energy a material emits. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.

The barriers consist of a highly reflective material that reflects radiant heat rather than absorbing it. For heat to conduct from one object to another they must be in contact. Radiation is the transfer of energy with the help of electromagnetic waves. Unlike fiberglass cellulose and other traditional thermal insulation radiant barrier isn t installed on the attic floor instead it s installed in the attic ceiling just below the roof.

The matter is present around us in three states solid liquid and gas. While heat is radiated and conducted in all directions it always moves from hot areas to cold areas. Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product. Radiation infra red is augmented by convection and conduction.

Insulation works by slowing the transfer of heat which can move in three ways. It is when something is heated by something else which also can heat something else. Insulation thermal breaks and air sealing prevent conduction and convection. They don t however reduce heat conduction like thermal insulation materials.

It s rated on a scale from 0 to 1. Break the contact and conduction ends. For heat to travel from your body through your down jacket it has to move by conduction through the tiny feather fibers that are in contact with each other. Radiation occurs when electromagnetic rays transfer heat into an object like when the sun heats up concrete or sand and they re too hot to walk on.

Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. R value the traditional measure of an insulation s effectiveness measures only one of these six mechanisms. Conduction convection and radiation. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices.

Conduction is the transfer of heat within an object or between two objects in contact.