How No-Tear Radiant Barrier can reduce utility costs in hot weather climates.

In 2001, Californians were greeted with the news of electrity rate increases, and that some customers will pay up to 46% more for their energy. In an effort to keep up with the electricity shortage, the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved a $.03 per kilowatt hour increase. On the other side of the country, New York City faced their own energy crisis. And in the Midwest, Chicagoans faced their own crises as city air conditioners were unable to keep up with the unbearable heat, and several people lost their lives.

This has happened nearly every year since then. And it shows no signs of improving.

So we created this page to tell you how No-Tear Radiant Barrier can help people in hot weather climates like California, Arizona, Florida, and New Mexico to lower their energy consumption and reduce their utility bill.

Here's how:

Up to 90% of summer heat entering your house is radiant heat; the rest of it is conductive and convective heat. As this heat radiates into your house, mostly through the roof, it fills up the attic space, and the insulation already in place -- usually fiberglass or cellulose. Chances are, it's been in the attic for many years, which means it has also disintegrated and settled over time. What may have been 6 inches of insulation 10 years ago is probably only 2 or 3 now. But that's not the biggest problem. The biggest problem is that regular mass insulation doesn't offer good protection against radiant heat. Of that 90% radiant heat getting into your house, mass insulation can only block 10% of it. This means the rest of this heat is getting into your house. So what do you do when your house gets hot? You turn on the air conditioner, of course. But the heat still gets in. So the AC keeps running, day and night. And you end up paying for that extra heat through increased air conditioner usage.

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So what happens when EVERYONE turns on their air conditioner?

There will more electricity used per household, which means less to go around, which can lead to be more brownouts and rolling blackouts. Since there's not enough electricity to go around as it is, increased usage means even less. This is what happens in big cities and states each summer.

So what can I do? If you're already visiting this site, you know the answer to that question: install radiant barrier. People are already using reflective insulation and radiant barrier for this very purpose. To beat the summer heat and reduce your AC costs, you will use our No-Tear Radiant Barrier. It blocks up to 97% of radiant heat -- remember, that's 90% of summer heat -- and reduces the amount of heat that gets into your house. This reduces the amount of heat you need to cool off with your air conditioner. That means 1) less energy usage, 2) increased comfort, 3) cooler temperatures at a warmer setting, and best of all 4) lower utility bills.

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How do I install No-Tear radiant barrier?

It's easy. All you need are a pair of scissors or utility knife, and a staple gun. Lay the No-Tear over the existing fiberglass, and staple it to the joists (be careful to step only on the ceiling joists). Overlap the seams by 1", and continue to staple it to all the joists. That's it!

Do NOT lay anything on top of the No-Tear, like other insulation, and don't let it come in contact with any electrical boxes or exposed wiring.

Important: On a 90 degree day, an attic can easily reach 110 degrees or more. When installing No-Tear, please try to install it before sunrise, or well after sunset. Take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of water.

Installation instructions are also available on our website.

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To place a credit card order, you can call us at (574) 457-3066. Or just email us at sales@radiantbarrier.net.