Home and Living

Reflective insulation is one kind of home insulation techniques. The use of foil in insulation has gained importance because of versatile features such as being light-weight and resisting all three types of heat transfer; conduction, convection and radiation. Reflective insulation also acts as a barrier against air infiltration and is also moisture-resistant. All these qualities make reflective insulation one of the best and cheapest techniques in home insulation.

What is reflective insulation?

It is a very versatile form of insulation which mostly uses aluminum foil for providing insulation. It can be easily installed with the use of simple tools such as a razor knife or scissors, a staple gun and quality foil tape. This makes it easy to use for any handyman or even a homeowner. Besides being easy and simple to install, reflective insulation helps control condensation, reduces energy consumption resulting in smaller amounts of money spent on utility bills and also adds to the comfort of the home.

Where is reflective insulation used?

Reflective insulation can be used in almost all areas of the home. This could include insulation for stud walls, under crawl spaces, metal building side walls, pipes and duct wraps, air conditioner covers, and even in areas of food storage. Reflective insulation is also used in various industrial, residential, recreational and commercial applications. Cars, vans and other utility vehicles too find the use of reflective insulation highly beneficial. Reflective insulation does not absorb any moisture. Hence it can also be used along with other insulation materials to provide high comfort levels in all weathers.

Benefits of using reflective insulation

This form of insulation requires relatively low cost of installation. It is light-weight, clean and non-toxic. This means that people, plants and animals in the vicinity will not be harmed by its presence in the interior or exterior of the house. Reflective insulation is also resistant to fire and other problems such as mold, mildew and insect attacks. The installation does not require highly protective gear such as breathing masks and gloves. Like most other insulation materials, reflective insulation offers high benefits on savings in heating and cooling bills for the household.