I live in the Northeast and a year ago installed foam insulation at the floor level in a walk-in attic. Overall heating costs are now down. However, the attic became very hot last summer and this past winter the temperature went below freezing in the attic (we have a few water pipes there that I’m concerned about bursting). I’m considering a radiant barrier a few inches away from the pitched roof.
Is it expensive to mount this way? Is there any way to make it retractable, like a window curtain, so that it’s in place during the summer, but I ‘take it down’ during the winter to add a few degrees heat to the attic?
Answer:
Actually, putting a radiant barrier in the roof system is an excellent idea. The easier installation would be to attach it directly to the underside of the rafters. It would be good to allow for ventilation between the radiant barrier and the underside of the roof. In the summer the attic air temperature should not get any higher than the outside ambient temp. In the winter the radiant barrier would tend to hold the heat rising from the floor. That should address both of your issues.