insulation materials: from fiberglass to foam, · insulation materials: from fiberglass to foam,...
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Fernando Pages Ruiz
Insulation Materials:
From Fiberglass to Foam,
Lamb’s Wool to Blue Jeans
Fernando Pages Ruiz,
Brighton Construction
• Builder thirty years
• EcoHome Contributor
• Two books: “Building
and Affordable
House,” and
“Affordable Remodel.”
28 February 2008 2
Efficiency Vermont is a Registered Provider with The American
Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems
(AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be
reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for
both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional
education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed
or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any
material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using,
distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be
addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this program, participants will be able to:
1. Understand insulation nomenclature such as the meaning of R value and U
value.
2. Become familiar with the the features of different insulation materials and
appropriate use.
3. Know the pros and cons of materials such as closed vs. open cell foams,
bio-based blowing agents, and recycled products.
4. Know more about exotic insulation systems such as recycled blue jeans and
lambs wool.
Course Evaluations
In order to maintain high-quality learning experiences, please access
the evaluation for this course by logging into CES Discovery and
clicking on the Course Evaluation link on the left side of the page.
The Basics
• R-Value
• U-Value
R-Value = More is more.
• R-value is a measure of thermal resistance used in the building industry.
• The R-value depends on the type of insulation and includes its material, thickness, and density.
• Heat flows naturally from a warmer to a cooler space.
• Heat transfers through three means:
– conduction, convection, and radiation.
Conduction
• Heat moves through solid materials: Hot
coffee, cold hands.
• Frying pan (steal studs, anyone?)
– Thermal bridging
• Does heat rise?
Convection
• Heat moves in any direction, including down
(hence the importance of foundation insulation).
• But warm AIR rises: Enter Convection. The hot
air balloon effect.
• Convection is a bigger issue than wind.
– Hence the importance of attic sealing.
– Works in reverse in summer (heavy air sinks).
Radiation
• Heat moves through space.
• Sunny day skiing.
– Clear line of site to surface temperature. Wood stove.
Un-insulated wall.
– Same room, same temp., more glass feels colder.
• Solar heat gain through glass increases summer
bills, but lowers winter heating costs.
U-Value = Less is more.
• The U-value (or U-factor), also called overall
heat transfer coefficient, describes how well a
building element conducts heat.
• It measures the rate of transfer through a
building assembly under standardized
conditions.
• The standard test is set at a temperature
gradient of 24 °C, at 50% humidity with no wind
(a smaller U-value is better).
How does insulation work?
• Some materials allow energy to pass through easily--they are good "conductors" of energy-aluminum.
• Others, though, absorb heat better than they release it and these are called poor conductors, or good insulators, air.
• They have High R and low U-values.
Thermal Conductivity (K)
• Aluminum
• Steel
• Glass
• Concrete
• Brick
• Wood
• Rubber
• Glass wool
• Air
• 1400
• 310
• 7.8
• 5.8
• 4.3
• 1.6
• 1.4
• 0.26
• 0.18
BTU-in/hr.ft.F
• A poor conductor, such as glass wool or plastic.
• Forcing heat through air (or other gas) trapped in fiber mesh or cells.
• Reducing convection through wall cavities.
• Some materials also reflect—radiant barriers.
Insulation works in three (okay,
four) ways:
Climate Zones and R-Values
• The US Department of Energy has
recommended R-values for given areas of
the USA.
• Vermont is in Climate Zone …?
Zone Six
Ceiling R-value 49
Wood Frame Wall R-value 20
Floor R-value 30
Fenestration U-Factor b 0.35
What does R-Value mean in the
real world?
• The overall R-value of a wall or ceiling will
be somewhat different from the R-value of
the insulation itself because some heat
flows around the insulation through the
studs and joists.
Whole Wall R-Values
Wall Type W-W R
Standard 2x4 9.7
Perfect 2x6 12.8
Poor 2x6 11
Steel frame wall 5.6
Steel w. insulated sheathing 10.5
SIPS 6-in 21.6
Stucco-straw bale 16-to-28
Concrete block 10-to-30
ICF 26-to-44
The Classic: Batt
Cost: Low
Air sealing: Poor
Best use: Above-grade walls
Other uses: Floors and roofs
Good: Fiberglass batt plus sealing and tight fit, least expensive.
To perform well, they must be installed in conjunction with a very well-detailed air
barrier. Unaddressed air leaks in fiberglass-insulated walls can easily lead to
condensation and moisture problems.
Higher density available.
Bad batting, moldy house.
Mineral Wool
• Low convection
– Sound deadening
• Slightly high R-value
• Recycled
• Costly, itchy.
Cotton
•Many of the same drawbacks.
• More difficult
to install
•Recycled 85%
•Acoustics
>Fiber glass
< Mineral Wool
• $$$
.
R-30 in a 2x6 wall.
Bonded Logic
Wool
• Slightly higher than fiberglass batts
• Retains R-value when wet.
• Natural insect and fire resistant.
• Moth balls?
Polyester
• Used in baby diapers, feminine care, hygiene, apparel, etc.
• Hydrophobic – won't absorb moisture
• No respiratory or skin irritation issues – no protective gear for installation
• Made from recycled plastic bottles and other post-consumer material
• Superior compression/recovery
Insulation & Infiltration
• 31 % Floors, walls, ceiling.
• 13% Penetrations
Infiltration and Wall Energy
Rating
Small job, big benefits
Simple
sealing
techniques
Blower door
test
Equal value,
lower cost
Blown
Cost: Low
Air sealing: Low to moderate
Best use: Above-grade walls, attic floors
Other uses: Rafter bays
Fiberglass
• Better seal than batts.
• Not so itchy.
• Lower R-values per inch (R-2-to-2.7) than
any other, so best applied at attic.
• Convection no longer a concern unless
your attic -20-degrees. (Old at 0-degrees)
• Bag count, beware of ―fluffing.‖ Bag count
on manufacturer’s web site.
Cellulose
Blown-in cellulose
•choice of many green builders for insulating walls, flat ceilings, and
sloped ceilings.
•Made from recycled newspaper
•Cellulose is inexpensive, packed in delivers R 3.8 per inch.
•Better at reducing infiltration, 3.2 loose.
•Disadvantage: Moisture.
•Becomes soggy, holds
•a lot of water.
•Detection of leaks delayed.
Retrofit walls and attics
Spray Foam
Cost: High
Air sealing: Excellent
Best use: Air sealing difficult areas
Other uses: All insulation jobs
Closed-cell
• Closed-cell spray polyurethane foam
performs better than any other insulation. It has
a high R-value per inch (R-6.2 to R-6.5), it's
impervious to moisture, and it's an effective
vapor retarder. It is also an excellent air barrier.
Closed-cell spray polyurethane foam can be
used under slabs, on below-grade or above-
grade walls, in ceilings, or even as roofing. It is
also the most expensive residential insulation
available.
Open-cell
• Open-cell spray polyurethane foam has some but not all of the virtues of closed-cell foam. Like closed-cell foam, open-cell foam creates an effective air barrier. However, open-cell foam has an R-value of about R-3.6 per inch—much less than that of closed-cell. Unlike closed-cell foam, open-cell foam absorbs and holds water. It is also vapor-permeable, which can be a virtue or a drawback, depending on the application. Open-cell spray foam costs less than closed-cell foam.
Closed cell, R-19 3.5-inches
BioBased Insulation
Open cell, R-3.6-inch,
12.6 at 3.5-inches
(about the same as FG)
Icynene.
MD-R-200 Medium-density
R-5.1 per inch.
Icynene
BASF: Flood areas, sucrose-
based polyols.
Spraytite medium-density
Hybrid systems
Johns Manville
Flash and Batt
• 1 to 2 inch layer of
closed-cell foam and
fiberglass or
cellulose.
• 45-55 % R-Value
(condensation)
• Lower cost option.
Generally, Polyurethane
• When high-performance builders talk
about spray-foam insulation, they’re
typically talking about polyurethane. But it
turns out there’s more than one kind of
spray foam used in residential
construction.
• Phenol-formaldehyde and urea-
formaldehyde insulation also are available,
Other Foams Exist
• Urea-formaldehyde earned a bad reputation in the 1970s after high levels of formaldehyde were detected in homes where it had been installed. Canada banned the foam outright, and some states in the U.S. continue to prohibit its use. Some manufacturers turned to a phenol-formaldehyde resin with lower emissions. In the meantime, a urea-formaldehyde manufacturer says newer formulations meet federal formaldehyde standards.
RetroFaom
• RetroFoam is banned in Canada, as well
as in California, Massachusetts and
Vermont.
• But, the company adds, the insulation has
been reformulated since its original
introduction and now meets federal
emission standards. Some regulatory
agencies just haven't caught up.
Exotic Foams: Air Krete
R 3.9-inch
• Magnesium silicate, cement-based insulation.
• Pumped into closed cavities
• Hypoallergenic for chemically sensitive.
• Fire-proof, contact with high-heat sources.
Rigid Foam Board
• Cost: Moderate
Air sealing: Very good
Best use: Walls, slabs, sloped roofs
Other uses: Floors
Highlighs of Foam Board
• Rigid foam insulation: effective air barrier, better than batts, or blown-in insulation, especially if the seams between sheets are carefully sealed with caulk or tape.
• Expanded polystyrene (EPS) versatile insulation that can be used below grade, on walls, or on roofs. EPS is less expensive than XPS or polyiso. If the correct density is chosen for the application, EPS is not affected by moisture.
• Extruded polystyrene (XPS) shares many of the strengths of EPS. However, it is stronger, denser, smoother, more water-resistant, and has a higher R-per inch (R-5 for XPS versus R-3.8 for EPS). It also costs more than EPS.
• Polyisocyanurate has the highest R-value per inch (R-6.5 to R-6.8) of any rigid insulation. Its blowing agent is environmentally benign, and it is free of the brominated flame-retardant chemicals that taint polystyrene. However, polyiso easily absorbs water, so it can't be used below grade.
Exterior Insulating Sheathing
Economical
basement
insulation.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS)
FPSF (Frost protected Shallow Footing)
Extruded polystyrene (XPS)
Insulating Sheathing
Insulated Siding
• Insulated siding is an option for compliance with thermal bridging reduction requirements to earn the label for new homes under ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes Version 3 Federal Trade Commission.
• For products such as insulated siding, the appropriate standard for testing R-value is ASTM C1363 Standard Test Method for the Thermal Performance of Building Materials and Envelope Assemblies
R-value Testing
• ASTM C1363 (aka, the ―Hot Box‖)
– ASTM C1363 testing is conducted
to determine an insulated siding
product’s specific R-value
– Insulated siding is tested in a
realistic setting
• Close to field application
• Includes air circulation around siding
– Initial results indicate insulated siding
products on the market have R-values
between 2.0 and 3.0
• Each profile has its own R-value
62
HERS Index Improvements Using Insulated
Siding
• Improvements to the HERS Index and projected energy
use for homes using R-values for insulated siding of 2.0,
2.5 and 3.0 show insulated siding can provide a 1 to 3
point improvement
• This improvement accounts for up to 23 percent of the
total improvement necessary to achieve compliance with
ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes Version 3
63
Bill’s Eco-B&B
Course Evaluations
In order to maintain high-quality learning experiences, please access
the evaluation for this course by logging into CES Discovery and
clicking on the Course Evaluation link on the left side of the page.
Affordable Remodel Fernando Pages Ruiz buildingaffordable.com
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