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Radiant Barrier Paint Must Be Selected With Great Care

By Lucia Weeks


Different jobs require different coatings. The term "radiant barrier paint" is commonly used to refer to low-emittance paints used to reduce heat loss in buildings. Most heat loss occurs where a large surface area is open to the air, where it will usually cool quickly. Low-emittance coatings or interior radiation control paints improve the thermal qualities of the surface by reducing radiant heat transfer.

Under controlled testing conditions, it has been demonstrated that retrofitted coatings of this variety have an impact on heat loss in buildings constructed from sheet steel and insulated with fibreglass. Infra-red (IR) imaging scans also confirm that such paints diminish the heat lost from a frame house with an unventilated loft space. Thermometer readings in the attic further confirmed that temperatures in the loft were lower after the application of a thermal type, proving that less heat was being transferred through the ceiling after painting. It is unlikely for condensation to form as the gap between the roof and the coating will probably never reach the dew point.

In the ecologically-aware modern social climate, cutting down on heat loss and the subsequent energy cost-cutting measures are a dual blessing. Dwindling energy assets alongside ever-increasing power prices make every potential saving extremely desirable. Resources with excessive conductivity need remedial restrictions on energy wastage.

Newly-built sports arenas and leisure developments are archetypal types of contemporary constructions with excessive energy expenditure. Over winter, warmth should be contained inside as much as possible, whereas throughout the summer, the heat of the sun ought to be kept outside. A swimming pool should be warm and ice rinks frozen.

Radiant heat waves are the biggest cause of heat transference - loss and gains - in man-made structures. Reflective insulation is the most cost-effective solution to this problem. Radiant barriers also significantly reduce lighting requirements.

Reflective Insulation Materials (RIMs) are a first-class alternative to out-of-date bulk laggings made from loose-fill cellulose or fibreglass. Thermal resistance (R-value) is measurable in Reflective Insulation Systems (RIS). These capacities prove the efficacy of reflective insulations in decreasing the heat lost through sub-floor spaces, air-ducts, walls and ceilings.

Technical documentation built up over nearly 100 years of research attest to the properties of reflective technology in reducing modern energy demands in buildings. Low-emittance surfaces are key to diminished energy costs. Proper installation by qualified professionals abiding by published standards and manufacturers' guidelines is essential to achieve the desired R-values. This also applies to providing the necessary thermal resistance ratings and water vapour resistance values.

The coating itself has advantages of ease of handling, low weight and improved distribution of light as well as its well-documented success in driving down energy bills in residential homes and industrial properties. Unfortunately, the definition of such paints, as laid down by the ASTMI (American Society of Testing and Materials International) is not met by any currently available product. Many companies market their merchandise using quotation marks to differentiate their brands of paint. These paints might more accurately be described as interior radiation control coatings according to their IR emittance reducing capabilities. The infra red emittance reduction scores of most of these paint varieties indicate that they should perhaps be marketed as "interior radiation control coatings" instead.




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