JLC · AUGUST 1989
Radiant Barriers–
High Performance or
Hype
"Just the facts, m'am," was a line
immortalized by the TV series Dragnet.
Trying to get just the facts about radiant
barriers is like trying to solve a bunch of
who-done-its. Even after a lot of
digging, you still don't have all the
answers. Where is Sgt. Joe Friday when
we need him?
Researchers have long confirmed that
radiant barriers can cut cooling bills in
warm climates. But since the upsurge of
interest in the 1980s, questions have
arisen faster than scientists could
provide answers. Here's an overview of
what we know about radiant barriers
today, and what remains murky.
It's a System
How radiant barriers work seems
pretty simple in