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General Questions

What is radiant heat?

An example of radiant heat is the heat you feel on your skin when you walk out from under a shelter into the direct sunlight.

Exactly how does NRG Shield work?

Simply put, NRG Shield reduces the transfer of a large percentage of radiant heat in one of two ways: 

1. NRG Shield reflects a large percentage of radiant heat that strikes it surface across an air space back in the direction from which it came, and
2. It EMITs a very small percentage of radiant heat from its own surface facing an air space.

Noticeably above, the words "air space" are used in describing both methods NRG Shield utilizes to reduce the transfer of radiant heat.  For a NRG Shield to be effective in any installation, and air space of at least 3/4" of an inch must exist on at least one side.

How much money can I expect to save on my utility bills if I install NRG Shield in my attic?

Although NRG Shield blocks 97% of radiant heat, your utility bills savings will vary because some homes are more energy efficient than others and because of other forms of heat flow in a building structure that contribute to the total cooling (or heating) load. We expect 20% to 30% based on these factors 

Is NRG Shield the same as basic kitchen foil?

Basic kitchen foil is not the same as a NRG Shield.  Basic kitchen foil is much thinner than a typical radiant barrier product and lacks the middle scrim layer that adds durability in the form of puncture and tear resistance that exists in NRG Shield.  NRG Shield is almost impossible to tear by hand unlike typical kitchen foils.

More importantly, the shiniest of kitchen foils only reflects an average of 50% of the radiant heat whereas NRG Shield reflect a much higher percentage at 97%.Also, NRG Shield is available in a perforated version to allow moisture to pass through eliminating condensation issues.  Kitchen foil is not perforated and therefore, traps moisture.

How does NRG Shield help me in both the winter and summer months?

During the warmer months of the year, with NRG Shield in your attic, you will REFLECT the radiant heat from the sun that attempts to enter your living spaces from your attic.  This can reduce heat transfer from the attic to living spaces by 16-42% which can result in increasing the comfort level of your home or building, reducing the usage of the air conditioning unit, and thereby, reducing utility bills up to 30%.

During the cooler months of the year, NRG Shield works similar to wrapping hot foods in aluminum foil to keep them warmer longer.  Baked potatoes and pizza are both great examples of hot food products that are kept warmer by being wrapped in aluminum foil.  With NRG Shield in your attic, the heat generated within your home is reflected back down to your living space inside the home and results in increasing the comfort level of your home or building, reducing the usage of the central heat or furnace, and thereby, reducing utility bills up to 30%.

Will NRG Shield in my attic cause my roof shingles to get hotter, degrade, or void the shingle warranty?

NRG Shield may cause an increase in shingle temperature between 2-5 degrees Fahrenheit on a hot summer day.  Given that shingle temperatures on a hat day is in the range of 160-190 degrees, this increase is negligible and does not accelerate shingle degradation.

What is the "R" value of NRG Shield?

NRG Shield does not "absorb" heat like mass insulation (fiberglass, cellulose, foam, etc).  Instead, NRG Shield, with their highly reflective surfaces, reflect 97% of the radiant heat that hit their surfaces and therefore, have no R-value rating.

Installing NRG Shield between the heat source (sun) and an existing R-Value rated insulation will improve the effectiveness of the R-Value rated insulation.  Why?  Because only 3% of the radiant heat is now hitting the R-Value rated mass insulation thereby extending the amount of time it has to absorb heat before becoming saturated and passing the heat into your living spaces.

Do I have to have other insulation in my attic for NRG Shield to be effective?

No; NRG Shield works independently of other insulation products. 

This does not mean that you don't need other insulation products in your attic.  Mass insulation, such as fiberglass insulation, blown-in cellulose, and rock wool protect you against conductive and convective heat flow. When this type of insulation is used in conjunction with NRG Shield; you will get the best overall protection for reducing the transfer of radiant heat.

I already have plenty of insulation in my attic.  Do I really need NRG Shield?

Regardless of how much insulation you have in your attic, adding NRG Shield will save on your heating and cooling expense, and keep you much more comfortable.  Energy savings for heating and cooling can be as much as 30%, depending on a number of factors, including climate, building configuration, materials used, site, family size and lifestyle.

Is this type of technology tested by qualified independent testing agencies or governmental agencies?

The Florida Solar Energy Center at Cape Canaveral has tested this type of technology in both small scale laboratory and full scale building models.  Their results indicate that it provides significant resistance to heat transfer. 

Current tests conducted by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the University of Mississippi support the findings at the Florida Solar Energy Center. 

Northeastern Illinois University conducted winter tests in residential and commercial structures using infra-red thermograph photography.  The photos showed significant resistance to heat transfer over the regular insulation.

Installation Questions

Do I need NRG Shield or bubble insulation for my my attic?

You certainly can install the reflective bubble insulation in your attic space but stapled to the roof decking or underside of rafters ONLY.  You cannot lay a bubble insulation product over the attic floor because it is a vapor barrier (not perforated like our NRG Shield) and will trap moisture that rises from your living space thereby causing condensation and potentially causing water damage in your attic space.  Although the bubble insulation will reflect radiant heat, it will not do so as effictevely on the rafters as the NRG Shield placed over the attic floor.

Do I need a perforated NRG Shield in my attic?

Perforated NRG Shield must be used in the attic floor application to allow water vapor from your living space to pass up through it and be carried out your attic via your attic ventilation. This is necessary because, during the winter, if there is no effective vapor retarder at the ceiling, water vapor from the living space may condense (and even freeze) on the underside of a solid barrier lying on the attic floor and cause water damage to the ceiling and any existing attic floor insulation. Why? Because warm moisture laden air always moves towards cooler air and will condense on surfaces trapping the air if it is not a perforated material allowing the moisture laden air to pass through it and out the building structure.

Can I install NRG Shield directly underneath my shingles when re-roofing?

No, NRG Shield needs at least a 3/4" air space on at least one side of it for it to be effective.  If NRG Shield were sandwiched between two solid surfaces, it would merely conduct heat all the way through it as if it were not installed.  The best location for NRG Shield is in your attic space.

Will Dust collect on the top of the NRG Shield hurt its effectiveness over a period of time?

An exhaustive test performed by James R. Hall, project engineer for the Tennessee Valley Authority concluded that "... dust appeared to have little effect on the effectiveness of this type of technology.  The percent reduction in ceiling heat flux was remarkably similar to that of this type of technology with no dust.  He stated that this type of technology’s performance "...may not degrade nearly as much as would be expected from the significant increases in emissivity caused by small amounts of dust."

Will the aluminum corrode and lose its effectiveness?

Hundreds of samples of aluminum foil have been stored in laboratories for various periods of time with no visible signs of deteriation and aluminum is highly resistant to the effect of corrosion.

What type of warranty does NRG Shield come with?

NRG comes with a Lifetime Warranty. The warranty is not on your lifetime but on the lifetime structure of the home.

Is NRG Shield a “Green Product”?

Yes. It conserves energy and helps the environment. It is non-carcinogenic, does not emit gases, and is very environmentally friendly. It meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy>

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