(1)  There are differing radiant barrier and insulation products and systems available; some good, some not so good and some great.  Research all the products that Radiant Barrier-Insulation contractors are recommending or are going to install in your home.  The different technologies and actual effectiveness vary greatly from product to product or system to system.

(2)  Your home is a system and there are varying ‘envelope characteristics’ for each home and any changes, change the system.  Be sure to use a radiant barrier-insulation contractor that can perform a whole house evaluation, not just someone that wants to sell you a product.

(3)  The main differences between ‘spray-on’ and ‘foil-type’ radiant barriers are the two products effectiveness and time of labor to install.  The ‘spray-on’ type usually takes less than a day to install and will block approximately 77% of the heat trying to radiate into your attic.  The ‘foil-type’ will generally take about two days to install and maybe more, depending on the house.  The better ‘foil-type’ product will typically block approximately 97% of the solar induced heat gain.

(4)  Attic insulation plays an integral part of your home’s energy efficiency and if you don’t have enough, it is likely not getting the job done.  Remember, original builders may install the minimum required amount of insulation to meet local code requirements, but this minimum standard may not maximize your potential energy savings.

(5)  There are different types of attic insulation including fiberglass and cellulose insulation as well as rolls or batts of insulation.  Homeowners can also opt to vacuum out old insulation for all new and fresh material.  In some cases, if a homeowner has occupants that suffer from any sort of chronic respiratory ailment, this could be a good idea, but make sure that those occupants or family members are not at home during this process, to eliminate any chance of ingesting materials ‘temporarily’ floating in the air the day of the work.

(6)  If your attics doesn’t have proper ventilation, it can reach temperatures of up to 170 degrees in the summertime.  Proper attic ventilation is a very simple way to ensure your attic stays cool and your home doesn’t have a 170 degree heater attached to it.  Your contractor can install new soffit and roof venting to ensure that your attic stays as cool as possible and does not trap hot air.  This helps prevent your air conditioners from working overtime.

(7)  Comparison shopping should be based on reputation, reliability, experience and price ‘value’, not just the lowest price.

(8)  Contractors should carry personal liability insurance.  Avoid doing business with contractors who don’t carry the appropriate insurance.  Otherwise, you may be held liable for any injuries and damages that occur during the project.