Lo/Mit II FAQ's
Q: What’s the difference between radiant heat, conduction and convection?
A: Heat transfer always occurs from the warmer to the colder region. Just as in the winter months your heat is attempting to escape the confines of your home to mingle with the cold air outside, in summer months the heat outside is attracted to the cooler temperatures you’ve achieved with your air conditioning. With both conduction and convection, heat can only be transferred via a medium…by surfaces that touch. We use insulation to inhibit conduction of heat, impeding its ability to transfer from a heated surface to an unheated surface. Convective heat requires the movement of air or other gases. Double-glazed windows resist both conductive and convective heat by creating a sort of airlock between two panes of glass. Radiant heat, however, is heat that has traveled through space, and can be transferred across a perfect vacuum. It can be broken down into two radiation bands: solar spectrum and far-infrared, both of which result in unwanted heat inside your home. We can help keep that heat at bay and increase your comfort in your home!
Q: What exactly does a Radiant Barrier (Interior Radiation Control Coating) do?
A: Lo/Mit, as explained by the manufacturer, is ”a silver-colored, non-thickness dependent, low emissivity coating. Its superb ability to reflect both heat (infrared radiation) and light make it an excellent, low-cost substitute for metallic foils or metalized plastic films.” When sprayed to your rafters and to the underside of your roof deck, facing your attic space, it inhibits the transference of radiant heat from the wooden deck to the inside of your home. “Low emissivity” refers to Lo/Mit’s ability to reflect incoming infrared radiation. “Non-thickness dependent” means that, unlike insulation, its performance is not dependent on its bulk, but on its inherent reflective properties. Those same properties can increase brightness in an enclosed area by reflecting back the light emanating from existing light sources…and that’s a bonus!
Q: I’ve never heard of Lo/Mit…is it a reputable brand?
A: In fact, since 1986 Lo/Mit has been installed on over fifty million square feet of surface area! Lo/Mit has been on the market for many years, but has mainly been used in commercial applications. However, rising energy costs have created a viable residential market now, too, as homeowners seek ways to take back some of their energy dollars. Our initial search led us to a trusted name: Sherwin-Williams, and their brand of radiation control coating, a product called E-Barrier. However, upon further investigation we discovered that an international evaluation of IRCCs was conducted to test for performance based on ASTM (the American Society for Testing and Materials) consensus standards. Of the 16 coatings measured for thermal emittance, only four products satisfied the emittance rating of less than 0.25…and two of them were from Lo/Mit! To our surprise, Sherwin-Williams did not make the cut. And Lo/Mit became our product of choice so that we could provide the best product at the most reasonable cost.
Q: How is its effectiveness measured?
A: Unlike insulation, radiant barriers do not have a significant R-value. Their effectiveness is measured in their emissivity rating. Lo/Mit’s impressive rating of 0.23 means that it can effectively prevent 0.77% of the sun’s heat from entering your home through your roof! Foil barriers exceed that rating, but modern residential construction practices often make them an impractical and costly avenue to pursue. If your home was built after 1950, a sprayed-on coating is the choice for you!
Q: How can using a sprayed-on Radiant Barrier save me money?
A: Compared to so many of the well-known ways to address the rising cost of energy, not just as its consumption affects our pocketbooks but our planet as well, installing a radiant barrier coating is but a modest investment. It truly is an “80-20” strategy that will yield noticeable and cost-effective results. An air conditioner typically has to keep working at climate control long after the sun has set, but with less heat entering your home in the first place, the task of cooling your home is less difficult, which has the potential to add some years to your system’s life. In fact, you may find that your need to use your air conditioning in the spring and fall has completely disappeared! And since heating/cooling your home is responsible for eating up the lion’s share of your energy dollars, reducing your dependence on a mechanical means of cooling your home will be reflected in your utility bills too. You can realize savings of 8-20% on your summer utility bills…and will recoup your initial Lo/Mit investment in no time!
Q: What about the winter months? Is there any benefit then?
A: Less so, but Lo/Mit does help reflect back the heat that rises to the attic and then attempts to escape through the roof. And oddly, while you might think a hot roof would be a benefit in helping to keep your house warm in the winter, remember that if your attic is warmer than the outside air, the warmth inside is attracted to the cold outside, not vice versa.
Q: Will it last, and does it require any maintenance?
A: You apply Lo/Mit just ONCE. It cures to a permeable coating that doesn’t entrap moisture or support mold growth. And unlike foil, its performance is not affected by an accumulation of dust on its top surface because it’s sprayed to your roof deck and rafters. It’s a no-maintenance product that doesn’t lose its effectiveness over time.
Q: Does Lo/Mit have any other applications?
A: Garages and metal buildings are excellent candidates. Lo/Mit II (for interior applications) applied to farm buildings may help save the lives of young animals who may be especially susceptible to the effects of excessive heat. Lo/Mit 1, designed for exterior applications, can be sprayed to your metal or flat roof, too, lowering the roof skin temperature 20-50 degrees with no detrimental effects on roofing materials. We’re happy to assess your unique situation and recommend that best application for you!
Q: Is there an environmental impact?
A: Only in the positive sense! With less than 6% volatile compounds, Lo/Mit II is much more environmentally friendly than many of its competitors, an important consideration in our selection process.
Q: Are there any special preparations required?
A: Our technician must be able to get into your empty attic space….that’s it!