Originally Posted by
Ross Neag
I hope that product is better than their water heater radiant barrier product as most water heater manufacturers tell you NOT to wrap the water heater. Years ago (a decade or two) water heaters were not as well insulated as they are today, *back then* wrapping the water heater actually may have done some good. Today, however, with the better insulation produced on water heaters, wrapping the water heater can lead to condensation forming on the steel outer housing of the water heater, causing it to rust out.
I'd like to hear other opinions and I will also be tracking my heating costs versus last year and recalculate usage based on current rates and usage amount. This will be interesting.
You will need to be able to track your costs back a few years to get any meaningful data. Any slight changes in average temperatures will skew your comparison from just one year to the next year, unless you also go back and compare weather data between the two years and the weather data is the same.
And if the RB was able to reduce attic temps, which in turn would keep the decking and shingles cooler, wouldn't I be at least "even" in terms of shingle life if not ahead by a bit?
Nope.
The attic and roof are now separated by the radiant barrier, which reflects the heat back up to the roof sheathing (and is why the attic is cooler - the roof is hotter by the heat not getting to the attic).
Shorter shingle life. How much shorter is unknown - measurable or not ... don't know.