Radiation Heat Transfer – How does it work?

Radiation heat transfer works without the need for direct contact or the air being blown around from the heat source. It does this through electromagnetic waves (infra red light) which is invisible to the human eye. This is the reason why things like black tarmac get hot on a sunny day as they slowly absorb the heat from the sun. The best way to reduce this form of heat transfer is to use low emissivity surface such as that found in multi foil insulations which reflect radiation heat transfer instead of absorbing it. This is a two fold advantage as it helps retain heat in the winter when your trying to stay warm but also helps to reduce solar gain in the summer keeping your house cool when you want it to be!

Fun Fact :

Rescue workers also use specialist equipment such as infrared sensors to help find people in emergency situations.