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johnmari_gw

low-e paint or radiant barrier paint

johnmari
18 years ago

Three questions:

1) Does this low-e paint aka radiant barrier paint really work, or is it all just (excuse the pun) hot air? What about the insulating paints such as Hy-Tech's "Barrier Coat"?

2) I am planning a renovation that includes installing stained beadboard over 2/3 of the wall surface. I am wondering if I painted the BACK of the beadboard panels that are to go on the exterior wall with this barrier paint prior to installation, would it help keep the room warmer? The subfloor is also to be replaced, would it do any good to paint the subfloor's underside before the sheets of plywood are laid (I have yet to finalize the flooring but it is likely to be glued onto the subfloor, which I would guess would do the barrier paint no favors)? The room is over an unheated garage, and while the garage ceiling is insulated and drywalled, there is still a chill (not a draft) coming through the floor.

3) If the paint isn't "all that", what about adhering one of the foil type barrier products onto the back of the beadboard?

Comments (10)

  • booster
    18 years ago

    My understanding is that the paints are supposed to be a radiant heat barrier, but aren't real effective. As long as you are putting up the beadboard, a foil type barrier should be a lot better than paint on the walls and the floor.

  • johnmari
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    There IS insulation in both walls and floor, according to the two contractors who've seen it it was properly installed and in the correct amounts/types. I'm just hoping for a little additional improvement that was simple, inexpensive, and that didn't use additional energy... of course the contractors' opinions boiled down to "this is New Hampshire and it's winter. Of course the floors are cold. Deal with it." :-)

    Thanks for the info - looks like the paint's another one of those "wishful thinking" products.

  • HyTechSales
    18 years ago

    Hello,

    I recently ran across this thread and would like to offer another viewpoint.

    Please note that I want to be completely honest from the beginning. I am the Director of Operations at Hy-Tech Thermal Solutions. We manufacture and distribute insulating paints and additives for paint.

    It is true that many "insulating paints" do absolutely nothing. The key to insulating value is based solely on the quality of the ceramic used. The chemical composition of the ceramic is important. The center of the ceramic sphere *must* be a hollow vaccum. These ceramics are extremely effective. Many companies use cheap "fly ash" or solid ceramics that have no value other than as a filler.
    Even using quality ceramics, the amount or "loading" of these in a coating is of significant importance. Many companies put between 5-10 pounds of ceramics into a 100 gallon batch of paint. This allows them to call it a "ceramic coating". Our coatings contain 100 pounds per 100 gallon batch.....and our industrial line contains 200 pounds. This gives our coatings the ability to reduce utility bills by up to 35% (we have a customers gas bills on file) and lower steam pipe temperatures by 180-200 degrees with simply 3 coats of paint.

    The technology of insulating ceramics was developed by NASA for the space shuttle. This is a fact that everyone seems to agree on. It is also a fact that NASA has an entire division devoted to nothing other than following their technology once it's been released to the public (Spinoff). This division spent 1 year researching every company in our industry. Our company was honored with their designation of being the industry leader in utilizing the technology that they have given the world.
    We are the only company whose founder worked at Cape Canaveral. We are the only company that is 3rd generation in the coatings industry. What we do is our passion, not a way to make a quick buck.

    Ceramic coatings can work extremely well, and make people's lives much more comfortable. Like any other commodity, it depends on quality.

    Thank you for the opportunity to post.

    Tony Abruzzese
    admin@hytechsales.com

  • coffee_man
    17 years ago

    THE REACTION OF THE HUMAN BODY TO RADIANT HEAT USING----HEATSHIELD-R20 RADIANT BARRIER PAINT ADDITIVE
    People feel warmer in the presence of radiant energy and cooler in its absence. Science refers to this phenomenon as mean radiant temperature. Stand in the shade of a tree on a sunny, but cool day; then step into the sunlight.Your body instantly becomes warmer in the sun, more comfortable. Stepping back into the shade, you are cool; yet, the change in the actual air temperature between shade and sunny areas is negligible.

    The human body feels warmer because radiant energy causes molecular friction within the skin and body. When this friction takes place, it creates heat that makes you warmer. In the absence of friction you are cooler because of the lack of molecular friction.
    But only your body is affected, not the air surrounding it. So, in winter you may feel as warm in a 65 degree room as you normally would feel in a room of 72 degrees F Users of Heatshield-R20 Coatings are saving substantial amounts on their energy bills.
    The thermostat can be set down 4 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and up the same amount on the air conditioner in summer and yet the comfort level of the human body can remain the same. Heatshield-R20 ceramic coatings raise the mean radiant temperature in buildings in winter and lower it in summer.

    Heatshield-R20Â is formulated to have a very small reaction to radiant and microwave type frequencies.
    With very little molecular movement there is very little friction, so very little heat.

    Here is a link that might be useful: HEATSHIELD-R20 SAVES ON ENERGY

  • coya
    15 years ago

    I know this is an old post but now that it's active again I'll post my experience with Hy-Tech. I got the powdered additive to mix into my own paint. I measured the ceiling temp in my dining room in two places with a lazer thermometer, and then measured the floor temp of the attic above in two spots. I then painted half of the celing with two coats of paint with the Hy-Tech additive. After allowing it to dry I again measured in the same spots. The two ceiling measurements were exactly the same. The attic floor measurement over the additive painted side was warmer by 2 degrees, telling me that the additive side actually allowed more heat to go through the ceiliing. I e-mailed Hy-Tech three times and got no responce. Called them and got some dingbat who knew nothing. In my opinion I spent $100.00 for a bucket of sand. Don't use it.

  • southtexas
    14 years ago

    A and B components 70 Block cost 260.00 5 gallons this stuff works use airless with wide nosile

  • ktheodoroupao_gmail_com
    13 years ago

    If anyone paints his interior walls and the ceilling with low-e paints (i.e. special aluminium paints), in theory an important amount of heat from the radiators will reflect back to the room in comparison to a normal high-e wall paint (Especially the parts of wall behind the radiators). So, they can save energy for heating in winter. Also, due to the low-e value they can act like a radiant barrier in summer.
    I don't know if that's true. Does oneone know if this theory is true?

  • cmott0616_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    Do you sell latex aluminum Radiant Barrier paint and what kind of pricing

  • PRO
    Windows on Washington Ltd
    12 years ago

    Radiant barriers should be more effective from both an application standpoint, if used properly, and cheaper.

  • SpringtimeHomes
    12 years ago

    Anyone researching RB paints is wasting their time. RB foil in an attic situation COULD be beneficial but you are probably MUCH better off spending that money on air sealing and insulation.

    Here is a link that might be useful: radiant barriers article

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