Lennar Resource Center

Unless you’re in the construction industry or just really good at knowing things, chances are Radiant Barrier Roof decking isn’t used in your daily conversations. We know exactly what it is, what it does, and the benefits of including it in your new home.

Radiant barrier roof sheathing is a layer of reflecting aluminum installed on the bottom side of our roof decking to block radiant heat transfer between a heat-radiating surface (think dark colored super-hot roof) and a heat absorbing surface (think fluffy pink insulation or perfectly painted ceilings) in your new Lennar home. Installed sheathing can reflect up to 97% of the sun’s heat from entering your attic in the summer and can reduce temperatures up to 30 degrees.

Warning: Science Content ahead

We all know heat travels from a warm area to a cool area by a combination of conduction, convection and radiation. No worries, the radiation we’re discussing isn’t the same kind that gave Spider-Man his superpowers.

We can talk about molecules, vibration, coefficients and thermal energy, but conduction requires physical contact for heat to move from a hotter material to a colder material. Think of every time you’ve grabbed a hot plate or cup and instantly jerked your hand away. That’s heat conduction.

Convection is boiled down (pun intended) to heat transfer through liquids. Since water in your attic is bad, we can skip this one.

Radiant heat travels in a straight line away from the how surface and will heat anything solid as the heat energy hits it. The reflective material used in radiant barrier sheathing stops up to 97% of the heat from getting into your attic.

How does this help you, the homeowner? You can see up to 17% decrease in energy consumption since your HVAC system can work more efficiently with lower attic temperatures.

That’s great for those hot Carolina summers but what about the rest of the year? In milder seasons the air temperatures might be milder but solar energy still heats up your roof, attic air and ceilings that can make it uncomfortable. An attic radiant barrier stops almost all of this heat transfer so you can stay comfortable with running your AC during milder weather.

Radiant barrier roof sheathing is installed on all of our homes and is part of the Lennar Difference to provide you the best quality home in the Carolinas.