Last week I received an email from a concerned reader who said his 85-year-old mother-in-law had recently purchased a $2,500 radiant barrier insulation system for her 1,800 sf townhouse in Austin, MN.

This article was originally published July 9, 2012. As the temperatures rise, you start worrying about your air-conditioning bill and hope that somewhere, somehow you can find a new, improved and ...

The term “radiant barrier” may sound like something out of a 1950s science fiction movie, but it’s a real alternative to conventional home insulation that can save energy and money. Q. What is a ...

‘Radiant barrier” is a relatively new term in the world of home improvement. So what exactly is it, how and why does it work, and what makes radiant barrier foil effective in reducing energy bills?

Question: Will stapling inexpensive aluminum foil under the roof rafters really reduce the heat inside my house? I feel a lot of heat coming through the ceiling in the afternoon and evening. _ H.N.

Still stinging from summer utility bills the size of a hefty car payment and looking toward another long cooling season, North Texans want relief. BEN TORRES/Special Contributor Jose Luis Contreras ...

Much effort is being made to ensure our addition to Bedlam Manor will look as if it has been here 70 years. We want the addition to look old, but be energy-efficient. The roof is decked with a ...

Question: I have a closed-in deck room that had the roof extended over it, with spray foam insulation over the original metal. It has an open-joist ceiling, and I want some more insulation to cover ...

Q. What is your take on using two-sided aluminum material in the attic over existing insulation? I’ve been told it is an idea from NASA that uses material like this to protect astronauts in space. A ...

Q. I recently heard about some new cooling strategy called “radiant barriers” in which heat from the house is directed up to the roof. Do you know if this really works, and if reflecting the heat out ...

Question: I have to do something to lower my heating and cooling costs. My air conditioner runs nonstop in hot summer weather, and in bitter winter weather the furnace is on all the time. I have added ...