March 21, 2024

Did you know that the federal government recently passed a law that allows homeowners like yourself to save big on your taxes while simultaneously increasing your home’s comfort and reducing your heating / cooling costs? The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act provides up to 30% federal tax credit when you improve your home’s attic insulation, air-sealing, and solar energy equipment. How can you take advantage of this tax benefit? Triangle Radiant Barrier can help! Triangle Radiant Barrier is your number one source for air sealing, insulation, attic ventilation and crawl space encapsulation in Raleigh, NC and the surrounding Triangle area. We provide expert consultation and installation services, specializing in: When it comes to finding the most cost-effective insulation, air-sealing, and crawl space solutions for your home, call Triangle Radiant Barrier first. What is the Inflation Reduction Act? What is the Inflation Reduction Act, and what does it mean for you? Simply put, the Inflation Reduction Act provides financial incentives to encourage people to renovate their homes with energy efficiency in mind. Signed into law in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act dedicates $391 billion to finding clean energy solutions. Part of that $391 billion is $8.8 billion specifically set aside for rebates for home energy efficiency projects. These tax rebates allow homeowners to claim a federal tax credit of up to 30%! Because air sealing, attic insulation, solar attic fans, and crawl space encapsulation reduce energy usage, some or all of the aspects of these improvements are eligible for tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. These improvements won’t just save you money on taxes; they’ll also increase your home’s comfort, optimize your home’s indoor air quality, and save you money on utilities down the line! Big Savings with Air Sealing, Insulation, Crawl Space Encapsulation and More What Triangle Radiant Barrier services may qualify for a tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act? Here are a few of our eligible services: Service Scope Pros Cons Attic floor sealing -Air-seal gaps in existing insulation due to utilities -Seal HVAC ducts -Install radiant barrier attic stairs cover -LED recessed light retrofit kits -Most cost-effective solution for energy savings -Prevents heat exchange between attic and living space -Prevents conditioned air leakage -Improves indoor air quality -None Fiberglass attic insulation -Install soffit vents and/or attic baffles –Fiberglass insulation to R-38 level -Versatility -Best balance between affordability and performance -Non-combustible -Requires attic sealing -Least performing insulation type -Deteriorates naturally over time -Can degrade indoor air quality Radiant barrier -Option to install on attic floor and interior-facing vertical walls or attic rafters and exterior-facing vertical walls -Reflects 95% of radiant heat off roofline -Permanent solution -Decreases attic temperature by 25-40 degrees -Improves HVAC efficiency and longevity -Minimal benefits during the winter   Spray foam insulation -Spray foam to attic rafters and exterior-facing vertical walls -Apply thermal barrier if needed   -Excellent thermal insulation -Improves HVAC efficiency and longevity -Allows for temperature-sensitive attic storage -Highest price -Must vacate property during installation and for 24 hours afterward -May require HVAC service for combusting appliances -Can inhibit detection of roof leaks Solar attic fan -Install Natural Light Solar Attic Fan, including thermostat -Can be combined with radiant barrier insulation -Often pay for themselves in 2 years or less -Quiet operation -Limited lifetime warranty -Should be accompanied by attic air sealing, LED retrofit kits, and HVAC duct sealing -May not be effective for all attics -May require HOA approval Always be sure to double-check with your tax preparer to make sure a home improvement project will count towards a tax credit! Triangle Radiant Barrier: The Best Air Sealing and Insulation in Raleigh, NC and the surrounding Triangle area Whether you need insulation improvement, crawl space mold removal or encapsulation, or solar attic fans, call Triangle Radiant Barrier! With So Many Choices, What Do I Do? Contact us today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free inspection and estimate.  Our estimates usually offer multiple options and upgrades along with consultation of the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of all that is offered…this will help you to decide what is best for your needs and your budget. Why Triangle Radiant Barrier? Since we specialize in and offer all types of insulation, we are not limited to trying to convince you into one option or another.  All of our installations are subject to quality assurance inspections by our dedicated Project Managers. We do not ask for any deposits or pre-payments…you do not pay any money at all until the project is complete to your 100% satisfaction. Our installations on Radiant Barrier, Spray Foam, and Solar attic fans come with limited lifetime warranties. Triangle Radiant Barrier is locally and veteran owned and operated; we are not a franchise.  We are very well reviewed: With decades of combined experience and expertise, we’re ready to help you and we’re the best resource for fiberglass insulation, Spray Foam, and Radiant Barrier in Raleigh, NC, and the surrounding Triangle area. Contact us today to receive your free inspection and estimate!

Crawl spaces are often the most forgotten aspect of our homes but can also be the primary source of key problems: Let Triangle Radiant Barrier’s expert staff help! Triangle Radiant Barrier is your number one resource for crawl space mold remediation, crawlspace improvement, and crawl space encapsulation in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the surrounding Triangle area. We have the skills to make sure your crawl space works for you and offer the following crawl space services: What does your crawl space need?  Maybe nothing…but wouldn’t it be nice to know?  Contact us today and we’ll provide you with a free inspection.  If your crawl space is good as it is, we’ll be happy to confirm that for you.  If improvement is needed, we’ll provide you with a free estimate which usually offers multiple options and upgrades available.  We’ll fully explain all options and upgrades, highlighting the respective ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of each, so that you’ll be well informed to decide for yourself what will be best solution for your needs and your budget. Crawl Space Mold Remediation North Carolina’s high summertime relative humidity cause vented crawl spaces to be highly susceptible to condensation, corrosion, wood rot, rust, and the growth of mildew and mold. When you reach out to Triangle Radiant Barrier for an expert crawl space mold inspection, you will get a thorough, professional assessment of your crawl space, and if we find mold, we have multiple options for crawl space mold remediation. We use a HEPA air scrubber with all but very minor remediation work.  This helps to ensure that any mold spores that are loosened into the air during the process are helped to be pulled out of the crawl space via the fan’s air flow and the micro-particles captures by a large HEPA filter.  Our first option for crawl space mold remediation is a fungicide application combined with HEPA Vacuum Scrubbing.  The fungicide is specifically designed to kill mold spores but does not remove any of the visible accumulated growth or staining the mold may have left on the wood surfaces of your crawl space.  The HEPA Vacuum Scrubbing helps to remove the visible accumulated growth from the wood surfaces. Fungicide application and HEPA vacuum scrubbing is our most affordable mold remediation method; however, it entails the use of chemicals (though EPA-registered, non-caustic, and non-toxic) and while it will remove visible accumulated growth from the wood surfaces, it will not remove aesthetic staining that the mold may have left in the wood. Our second option for crawl space mold remediation is fungicide application combined with Soda Blasting.  This will provide the same level of killing the mold, will remove all visible accumulated growth on the wood surfaces, and will help to remove the aesthetic staining that the mold left in the wood, on average about 70% of the staining.  This process does leave soda residue which serves as a natural deodorizer but can leave a fine white residue dust on all utility surfaces which may warrant additional cleaning at separate cost.  Our third option for crawl space mold remediation is Dry Ice Blasting.  We blast the crawl space wood surfaces with dry ice at a -110◦ Fahrenheit to instantly freeze and kill mold spores. Dry Ice Blasting fully kills any mold present, removes the visible accumulated growth from the wood surfaces, and removes nearly all, if not all, of the visible aesthetic staining in the wood surfaces.  Dry Ice Blasting is unique in that it remediates mold without the use of any chemicals and it is residue free, since dry ice sublimates directly from a solid to a gas. Deodorization and Sanitization If you are concerned about the cleanliness and smell of your crawl space, consider Triangle Radiant Barrier’s deodorization and sanitization options. Deodorization involves spraying your crawl space with a non-caustic blend of natural enzymes and non-pathogenic bacteria that encapsulates and neutralizes the decaying organic material causing the odor. Our sanitization services include manual cleaning of all crawl space utility surfaces with a hospital-grade disinfectant, sanitizer, and virucide. This method is highly effective against mold, bacteria, germs, fungi, and viruses. We often recommend using deodorization and sanitization as a complement to our other crawl space mold remediation services. Crawl Space Radon Inspection and Mitigation Radon is a naturally occurring gas from the soil.  While not common, it can be of sufficient concentration in some crawl spaces to present significant health hazards to home occupants, up to and including the risk of death.  Radon is not visible and has no smell.  The only way to determine if you have radon at levels of concern is to test for it. We sensors capable of providing ongoing monitoring and tracking of radon levels.  We also install radon mitigation systems to alleviate the concern, if it is present. Crawl Space Sump Pump and French Drain Not every crawl space needs a sump pump and/or French drain and, despite what some sales folks will tell you, they are not required by Building Code.  If, however, your crawlspace has drainage or ground water issues, we can help.  Often the solution may be viable outside the crawl space such as with improvements to gutters, landscape grading, masonry water proofing, or exterior drainage.  While we do not offer work outside of your crawl space, we have referrals for companies who can.  Or if those exterior solutions do not suffice, we can install a sump pump and French drain for you, as needed. Crawl Space Insulation and Vapor Barrier Triangle Radiant Barrier provides multiple options for crawl space insulation to include CrawlBarrier® rolled insulation, rigid foam board insulation, fiberglass insulation, and closed cell spray foam insulation.  Each insulation type has advantages and disadvantages.  We’ll help you to understand what options are viable and which may be right (or not right) for your situation.  We offer vapor barrier from 6-mil non-reinforced up to 20-mil reinforced.  We give lifetime warranties against degradation and delamination on our 10-mil reinforced or better vapor barriers which are made with 100% virgin polyethylene also guaranteed against any off-gassing or odors.  Crawl Space Dehumidification and Environment

Proper insulation makes for more comfortable homes, greatly reduces heating / cooling costs, and reduces a home’s carbon footprint.  There are many different types of insulation and each type has advantages (and disadvantages) depending on the unique aspects of each home. Triangle Radiant Barrier offers professional, high quality insulation services throughout Raleigh, NC and the surrounding Triangle area: Fiberglass Insulation (blown-in, rolled / batt) for attics, walls, crawl spaces Radiant Barrier Insulation for attics, walls Spray Foam Insulation (open cell, closed cell) for attics, walls, crawl spaces Air Sealing Crawl Space Encapsulation (also crawl space mold remediation) Attic Stair Cover Solar Attic Fans With so many options, which insulation is right for you and your home?  Contact us today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free inspection and estimate.  In the meantime, here’s some useful information, to help your consideration. Fiberglass Insulation Fiberglass insulation is made of extremely thin glass fibers and is available as a loose-fill insulation for blowing in or comes in rolled batts, sometimes referred to as ‘blankets’.  Today’s fiberglass insulation is formaldehyde-free and non-combustible. Fiberglass insulation works by absorbing and holding onto heat, similar to the way a sponge absorbs water.  But, like a sponge, fiberglass insulation can become saturated…in this case, with heat.  When it does, the remaining heat will pass through it which decreases your home’s comfort and increases your costs for heating and cooling.  To gain better performance with fiberglass, you need more of it…the bigger the ‘sponge’, the more heat it can hold before reaching saturation. Triangle Radiant Barrier | What is the Best Insulation for My Home? Fiberglass insulation’s performance is measured by the “R-value” or the “Resistance Value”.  The “resistance” measures how long the insulation will prevent the transference of heat.  The higher the R-value, the longer it takes heat to transfer…so the higher the R-value, the better the performance.  R-value is based on the height or thickness of the fiberglass.  Currently Building Code standards in our area for attic floors is R-39 which is about 12-13” height of fiberglass insulation (actual R-value per inch varies based on the manufacturer of the insulation being installed). Fiberglass insulation works primarily against conductive heat transfer (transfer of heat through contact of materials).  However, it does not stop airflow, so it is not effective against convective heat transfer (transfer of heat through air movement).  Effective air sealing (e.g. sealing utility penetrations in the drywall surrounding the living space) is important to aid fiberglass against convective heat transfer. Fiberglass insulation has limited performance against radiant heat transfer (transfer of heat through the transfer of radiant energy and the relative transformation of that energy into heat). Fiberglass Insulation Pros Cons – Most affordable insulation type – Versatile in many different applications – Good against conductive heat transfer – With effective air sealing, works well with powered attic ventilation, such as a solar attic fan – Some performance as sound barrier – Least performing, relative to other insulation types – Must be accompanied by effective air sealing to help prevent convective heat transfer – Limited performance against radiant heat transfer – Deteriorates naturally over time, reducing performance and eventually need addition / replacement – Disintegrating fiberglass can be a detriment to indoor air quality – Does not moderate cold in winter attics Radiant Barrier Insulation Radiant Barrier is a foil insulation designed to prevent the transfer of heat derived through radiation.  It does this in two ways: emissivity and reflectivity. Radiant energy comes from the sun.  That energy passes through space where it has no inherent heat because open space does not have mass or molecules to absorb the energy.  Eventually, the radiant energy hits the Earth’s atmosphere and encounters mass objects, such as your home’s roof.  Shingles and wood (that comprise your roof) have very high level of emissivity, meaning they absorb a lot of radiant energy which converts into a lot of radiant heat.  Your roof then re-emits radiant energy and radiant heat into the attic where it hits your wood framing, stored materials, and even your insulation and creates more radiant heat.  Radiant heat is the primary type of heat that accumulates in your attic in summer. Radiant Barrier has a very low emissivity, so it absorbs very little radiant energy and produces very little radiant heat.  Radiant Barrier also has very high reflectivity and it reflects 95% of radiant heat. There are different ways to install Radiant Barrier but a common method is doing so along the underside of attic rafters.  This method of installation reduces summer heat in attics between 30-40◦ F, on average. Radiant Barrier does not deteriorate over time.  It is a permanent insulation that comes with a lifetime warranty against degradation or delamination. In combination with air sealing and fiberglass insulation, the Radiant Barrier helps to prevent convective heat transfer but offers limited performance against conductive heat transfer. Our Radiant Barrier foil is perforated so it will not trap air moisture in attics. Radiant Barrier Insulation Pros Cons – Cost efficient, cost-effective – Greatly reduces attic heat (rafter install): lower heat saturation risk to fiberglass; less heat competition to attic-installed HVAC systems – Lifetime warranty, permanent insulation – With effective air sealing, works well with powered attic ventilation, such as a solar attic fan – Reduces risk of rodent activity – Class I / Class A fire resistant, non-combustible – No detriment to indoor air quality; no chemicals at install – Cannot be used in R-value requirements – Limited performance against conductive heat transfer – Not a substantive barrier to noise – Does not moderate cold in winter attics Spray Foam Insulation Spray Foam provides superior R-value performance and air seal the attic and/or living space to which it is installed.  It provides excellent performance against conductive and convective heat transfer. When installed in an attic, the attic is essentially brought within the home’s thermal and pressure boundary and, for this reason, Spray Foam provides the best moderation of attic heat in summer and attic cold in