[DangeloInspections]

bbbbb,

Wow, sounds like you got a great deal on a radiant retrofit. I have been repeatedly told the cost was typically much higher.

I have nothing against Radiant...as long as it is installed properly.

Since this forum is mainly for The Villages, I usually limit my comments to be pertinent to Villages homes. For at least the past 5 years or more, The Villages insulates the attic area to an R-30. I like to see more, but that meets code, and that is what they do. For Designer and Premier homes it is mostly blown in fiberglas. For Villas and some cottage type homes it is R-30 batts.

I am in attics everyday in The Villages, walking all around them. As you correctly stated, I walk on the bottom chords of the trusses. Knock on wood, I have never mis-stepped and I am in over 400 Villages attics a year.

I do find that the attic temps in attics that have a radiant barrier are cooler. My only caution has been;
A) The high cost.
B) The usual trampling of the blown in insulation when the panels are installed in a pre-existing home.
C) The very long payback based on a 10-12% cost savings.

You avoid all of these when the builder uses radiant sheathing during the build.

the only other negative I have been told about has been the problems with attic antennas and cell phone call quality. Having Wi-Fi cell phone calling would solve the latter.

Frank