Which is better will depend on the topography of the specific roof you re insulating.
Fiberglass attic insulation vs reflective.
Radiant barriers reflect radiant heat.
Remember traditional attic insulation has r value that works to slow conductive heat.
The radiant barrier resulted in roughly 4 times more savings than the added insulation.
What is the right insulation for an attic.
Fiberglass has been in use by builders since the later portions of the 1800 s.
Fiberglas insulation has been the undisputed standard for buildings for many years but foil insulation is the new contender.
Reflective insulation is significantly thinner than fiberglass insulation.
If your attic has a lot of nooks and crannies your best bet may be to use loose fill insulation made of fiberglass or cellulose.
The sun heats up the roof and then the heat is transferred by radiant heat across the attic space until it hits the attic insulation.
In a new house an installer typically drapes a rolled foil radiant barrier foil face down between the roof rafters to.
The reflective insulation trade association also offers installation tips.
Radiant barriers and reflective systems.
The reflectix site provides a great range of information about this and about how it differs from other types of insulation.
Fiberglass insulation comes in larger batted rolls but is also found as a blow insulation that is primarily used in attics.
Both types of heat are trying to enter your home on a hot summer day.
Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
The key to using reflectix properly is that you should take a little time to understand how reflective insulation works in the first place.
Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.