THERMAL INSULATION

Thermal insulation is placed inside and on

the surfaces of framed floors, walls, ceilings,
and roofs of wood- and metal-framed
buildings. Thermal insulation is also applied
to concrete and masonry surfaces. Thermal
insulation resists heat flow out of a building
during cold weather and heat flow into a
building during hot weather. Most insulation
also reduces sound transmission, and many
types of insulation have high fire-resistive
ratings.

PRESENTED BY G2

 VARIOUS

ZONES OF THERMAL INSULATION

 Insulation

is rated by its
R value, which indicates
its resistance to heat
flow. Buildings in colder
climates require
insulation with higher R
values.
Insulation R values are
based on the climatic
conditions of the area.

 Various

insulation
materials provide
differing R values.

 Increased

insulation
thicknesses
provide greater R
values. For
example, 3.5 of
fiberglass
insulation has an
R value of 11.

 LOOSE-FILL
A

pressurized hose
is used to blow
loose fill insulation
between the ceiling
joists.
The insulation is
placed directly on
top of the ceiling
below in a uniformly
thick layer.

INSULATION

plywood rake is
convenient to
spread and level
off loose fill
insulation between
ceiling joists.

 Loose

fill insulation can also be blown or packed into exterior walls

of older buildings that were not insulated when originally
constructed. Holes are cut between studs at the top of the exterior
walls using a hole saw. Insulation is blown into the wall cavity until
the insulation begins to back up out of the hole.. The holes are then
sealed with the plugs that were removed when cutting the holes.

 Blown-in-blanket

insulation is a
type of loose fill insulation used
for new construction. A
retention fabric made of spun
polypropylene is fastened to
wall studs using adhesive or
staples before gypsum board or
other interior wall covering is
applied. A small opening is
made in the fabric and loose fill
fiberglass insulation is blown
into the wall cavity. The
insulation should bulge
approximately 1/2 to 1 past
the studs to ensure proper
insulation density (1.8 to 2.5
lb/cu ft minimum). Where
required, a vapor barrier is
installed over the fabric and
interior wall covering is applied

 Flexible

batt and
blanket insulation
differ only in
length.

 Blanket

and
batt insulation
must be
properly
installed for
maximum
energy
savings.

thin layer of
foamed-in-place
insulation is
sprayed on a
surface. The foam
then expands to
fill the wall cavity.

 Rigid

foam
insulation can be
applied to the
exterior or interior
of concrete
foundation walls.

 Self-tapping

screws or bolts
with washers are spaced
vertically and horizontally.
Adhesive is applied to the
back of the insulation panel
to secure the panel in
position while the
mechanical fastener is
driven in. Screw or bolt
heads must be recessed into
the panel when driven to
allow the exterior finish
material to be properly
applied. Fiberglass tape
should be applied over
fastener heads to seal the
insulation.

 For

a slab-atgrade
foundation,
rigid foam
insulation is
placed along
the outside of
the foundation
wall or placed
beneath and
between the
wall and slab.

 In

residential construction,
1/2 to 1 rigid foam insulation
panels are attached to the
outside of exterior walls. Since
blanket and batt insulation is
installed between wall studs,
rigid foam insulation increases
the total R value of the walls.
Lateral structural stability is
provided by metal diagonal or
wood let-in braces; therefore,
panel sheathing is not
required. Finish board or panel
siding is installed over the
rigid insulation. If brick or
other masonry veneer is used
to finish the walls, additional
insulation is provided by a 1
air space between the
masonry and insulation.

 Rigid

foam
insulation is
applied to the
upper surfaces of
the rafters. Tiling
and counter
battens and roofing
felt are installed
prior to installing
roofing tile.

 In

another system,
the rigid foam
insulation is attached
with metal fasteners
or adhesive to the
roof sheathing.
Oriented strand board
or plywood cover
boards are installed
on top of the rigid
foam insulation.
Roofing felt is then
placed over the cover
boards and the
shingles or shakes are
nailed in place.

 Rigid

foam insulation is installed below the

roofing felt plies of a built-up roof. The
insulation may be tapered to provide a
sloped roof.

 The

best method for

sealing cracks between
a door jamb or window
frame and the exterior
wall is caulking. Caulk is
a composite material
that is available in
cartridgetype tubes
and is applied with a
caulking gun. Be sure to
select the appropriate
type of caulk for the
job. Silicone caulk
cannot be painted; latex
and acrylic caulks
readily accept paint.

 Weatherstripping

materials are used to

prevent air infiltration
between a door or
window and its frame.
Common types of
weatherstripping are
adhesivebacked
foam rubber,
woodbacked foam
rubber, rolled vinyl,
and Vstrip. shows
each type and
explains
its applications

 Door

bottoms must be sealed to prevent air infiltration.

The space at the bottom of a door is a source of air infiltration shows how the
space can be sealed with a sweep, interlocking threshold, vinyl bulb
threshold, or automatic sweep.

steelclad,
foam
insulated
exterior door
allows little heat
transmission.
Note the
weatherstrippin
g and threshold
that have been
installed.

 Heat

transmission is also
reduced by a storm door. A
storm door is an additional
wood or metal door hung on
the outside of the door
frame. Many storm doors
have interchangeable glass
and screen panels. The glass
panel is installed during
colder temperatures and the
screen panel is installed
during warmer temperatures
for increased airflow.

 An

effective way to increase

U value is to use multiple
panes of glass. A single-pane
window has a thermal
resistance (U value) of 1.
Double-glazed windows,
constructed with two panes
of glass separated by a halfinch of air space, have an U
value of 2 since they are
twice as resistant to heat
loss. Windows installed in
colder climates should be at
least double-glazed. Some
window styles are available
as triple-glazed.

Gas-filled

windows further increase the U

value of multiple-pane windows. Gas-filled
windows are three to four times more energy
efficient than standard multiple-pane
windows. The key components of gas-filled
windows are as follows:
Double- or triple-glazed windows provide a sealed
space between the panes.
A low-emittance (low-E) coating is applied to the
glass to reduce the passage of heat and ultraviolet
rays through the windows.
Argon, krypton, or xenon gas is introduced
between the panes of glass and then sealed off. The
gas minimizes convection currents and reduces
overall heat transfer through the window unit. In
addition, less solar radiation is allowed through the
windows in hot climates, while a higher interior
temperature is maintained in cold climates. The
higher interior temperature of the glass surface also
helps to reduce condensation.
Vinyl-clad or fiberglass window frames and
dividers provide good insulation qualities around the
glass. Metal frames should not be used with gasfilled windows.

 Energy

efficiency is
gained by
using a variety
of insulation
techniques
and materials.

THANK
YOU