On a sunny afternoon, your roof deck radiates heat down into the attic like a heat lamp. A radiant barrier is a reflective foil stapled to the underside of the rafters that bounces much of that radiant heat back up. The attic stays cooler, the insulation below has less to fight, and any ducts or HVAC equipment in the attic get a break.
Where it pays off
Radiant barrier earns its keep in hot inland attics — the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, the Antelope Valley, the Conejo and Simi valleys — especially when the HVAC system and ducts are up there. Near the coast, the benefit is small, and we will tell you so.
Barrier plus insulation
A radiant barrier is not a replacement for insulation. It reduces the heat coming down; insulation slows what gets through to your ceiling. The best results come from both: foil on the rafters and a deep blown-in layer on the floor, often done in the same visit.
How we install it
We use perforated reflective foil so the roof deck can still breathe, staple it along the rafters with an air gap, and keep it clear of vents and the ridge. We work carefully around wiring, plumbing vents and HVAC equipment.
Signs you could use this
- Your attic gets extremely hot in summer
- Ducts or the HVAC unit run through the attic
- Upstairs rooms stay hot well into the evening
- You live inland, in the Valley or further north
- Your roof has dark shingles and full sun
Where we offer radiant barrier
We provide radiant barrier across San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale & Pasadena, Los Angeles & the Westside, Santa Clarita & Antelope Valley and Conejo Valley & Simi Valley, including: