What is the best kind of insulation to use in my attic to reduce my air conditioning bills?
Instead of adding more insulation, you should consider adding a radiant barrier system. This will have a greater effect on your cooling bills because it reflects heat away from the attic before it can reach the insulation and ceiling below. Without a radiant barrier, your roof radiates solar-generated heat to the insulation and, if they are mounted in the attic, your air conditioning ducts below it. The insulation absorbs the heat and gradually transfers it to the material it touches, principally the ceiling. This heat transfer makes your air conditioner run longer and consume more electricity. If the outside air is 87°F, the roof can reach 148°F and the attic air can be more than 120°. Heat from the hot attic roof radiates downward into the house. A radiant barrier will block 95 percent of the heat radiated down by the roof before it reaches the insulation. A radiant barrier is a layer of aluminum foil placed in an attic airspace to block radiant heat transfer between a hot roof and c
