Roofing: Ventilation & Radiant Barriers

Ventilation That Works Well
As if it weren’t enough, in conventional insulation and construction, ventilation is more than an issue of energy efficiency. It’s a determining factor in the comfort of your home or business’ interior environment, as well as being a deciding factor in how long your windows, siding, painting and roofing last. More frequently today manufacturers are invalidating warranties when ventilation is not sufficient to properly care for their products. With ventilation it boils down to intake and exhaust—how many air exchanges you have per hour. Soffit vents are rendered meaningless without proper roof ventilation—and vice versa. Rooflines, square footage, vaulted ceilings, the region you live in, etc. all play a role in determining the right “matched” ventilation system for you.

Green Building, especially standing seam metal roofs that are used to create a thermal envelope, has a completely different set of ventilation requirements. Our Project Planners can help you decide what will work best for you.

Learn more about ventilation

Radiant Barriers Block Heat Transfer
While standing seam metal roofs create a natural radiant barrier—and are our preferred radiant barrier—most other roofing choices can have their energy efficiency bolstered by the use of either a foil roll, radiant barrier decking (Tech Shield) or Heat Bloc-75.

But what is a radiant barrier? It’s a Low-E surface that blocks the heat transfer into your home or business. Foil in a roll is applied to the underside of your rafters, but it can tear and requires that the staples penetrate the barrier. Too, the foil chips can accumulate dust, which diminishes their effectiveness. Radiant barrier decking is an ideal choice for new construction because it is an easy application. Heat Bloc-75 is our product of choice for retro-fit projects. It is an aluminum-colored, water-based, low-e coating that is applied to the attic-side of your roof’s decking. It can be either rolled or sprayed on and blocks 75% of the radiant heat trying to enter your home.

Learn more about these and other options by talking to one of our Project Planners today!