Hi I'm Ed Fritz, owner of AtticFoil.com and in this video I'm gonna compare Enerflex brand
radiant barrier to AtticFoil brand Radiant Barrier.
Now there's two main differences between these products.
First, is the install method and second is the price.
Now first of all, let me say Enerflex radiant barrier is a good product and it does well
at reflecting heat, as a radiant barrier.
It, along with AtticFoil, is going to reflect over 95% of the radiant heat, so it's a good
product as far as reflecting heat.
However, it's significantly more expensive and the install method is different.
So, there's my disclaimer, now please don't send me any nasty letters from any lawyers.
The first main difference between Enerflex Radiant Barrier and AtticFoil Radiant Barrier
is the install method.
Enerflex is a product that kinda snaps in between the rafters like this.
AtticFoil brand radiant barrier - you staple it to the bottom of the rafters and go all
the way across the roof and just staple it on.
So you can run one long piece in just a couple of minutes.
But the big difference is what's called thermal bypass.
Because the Enerflex product is stuck between the rafters(it does a pretty good job at reflecting
the heat from here to here) but unfortunately when you leave these rafters exposed heat
comes from the roof, it comes into the rafter and then it's radiated across the attic.
AtticFoil, when you staple it to the bottom of the rafter, works off a quality called
emissivity.
Emissivity is the ability not to convert energy into radiant heat.
It's kinda like wrapping a potato with foil to keep it hot.
We want to keep that heat going backward.
So, here the heat's coming off the roof - it's actually working off what's called the reflectivity
quality that's reflecting it back.
Where the rafters are, it's working off the emissivity quality.
But, once again, the Enerflex product, because you stick it between the rafters, the rafters
are exposed, heat comes from the roof (by conduction), comes in to the rafter and then
it's radiated across the attic.
So you actually get less heat rejection using the Enerflex product than the AtticFoil product.
Enerflex also claims that their product is easier to install because you can just snap
it between the rafters and I've messed with it a little bit and it's not too difficult.
However, this is a 4 foot section and this is a 4 foot section of AtticFoil.
In less time as it takes to snap in some of these panels, you can run a piece of AtticFoil
10, 20, 30, 40 feet, staple it up, get more coverage because you're covering the rafters
and it's faster and easier to install.
Plus, in real attics, not every section is just like this with wide open rafters.
You've got hips and valleys and corners and everything.
Where AtticFoil - you can pull it, you can cut it, turn it - it doesn't really matter.
All you're really trying to do is get a piece of radiant barrier between the hot roof and
the cool insulation.
We want to reject all that heat coming off the roof and keep the insulation cooler.
Once again, Enerflex, because it leaves the rafters exposed, doesn't do as good a job
at reflecting (or reducing) as much heat coming in to the attic.
The second big difference is the price.
AtticFoil brand radiant barrier is about $0.13 a square foot.
Enerflex radiant barrier is about $0.45 a square foot.So it's about 3 times as much
as AtticFoil brand radiant barrier.
On a typical home you're going to spend somewhere between $200 and $400 to purchase AtticFoil
brand radiant barrier and that same home, if you did it in Enerflex, would cost somewhere
between $600 and $1200.
Now that is CRAZY when you think about it.
Why on earth would you spend 3 times as much money for a similar product that actually
produces less heat rejection?
The whole point of doing an energy efficiency upgrade is to save money!
So you can spend less money by purchasing the AtticFoil; it's easy to install and you're
going to reduce more heat coming in to the attic as opposed to putting Enerflex between
the rafters.
At AtticFoil.com we do not sell through distributors or retail stores.
We sell only direct to the consumer through the internet.
We are the manufacturer - it literally comes from our warehouse to your front porch.
We put it in a box and ship it out the same day.
This means you don't have to pay for a distributor or the expense of overhead for a high retail
store.
You actually spend LESS money and get a better product quality product by cutting out the
middle man.
Plus, at AtticFoil.com we offer real customer service - real people who can help you with
your technical questions.
If you need a sample, just visit AtticFoil.com - we send out samples every day.
Any other questions, I always tell people: we're a phone call away.We want to help you
with your radiant barrier questions and installation.
Any other questions?
Visit AtticFoil.com.