07 20 00 Thermal Protection

07 20 00 Thermal Protection

Extruded Polystyrene (XPS): Improved Wall Performance

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A building's wall system must constantly fight the invasion of rain, air, vapor and thermal attacks.The wall's ability to provide a barrier to each of these elements relies upon the use of appropriate materials, installed in the correct sequence.  There is no such thing as a perfect wall system; however, a wall system that performs with greater efficiency using new efficient materials is achievable.

ROI-Driven Products: Insulation

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In this second addition of “ROI-Driven Products," we take a look at insulation, which is a big part of a building’s envelope. When insulation is installed correctly, it provides the necessary R-value to meet the thermal demands of the region and the comfort demands of the building’s occupants. With energy prices on the rise, building envelopes have come under more and more scrutiny. Homeowners and business owners alike are now seeing the need to improve the building envelope and increase its overall efficiency.

How Insulation Can Save You Money

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Insulation can save you money. Homeowners heat and cool their houses with various types of energy which fluctuate in price on a regular basis due to a variety of variables that are outside of their control. Lowering your thermostat, installing a programmable thermostat, or enrolling in a monthly budget plan could lower your bills; however, you may have overlooked the one thing that can truly lower your energy expenses, insulation. Investing in insulation can save you money, paying you back over time through reduced monthly energy expenses, as well as providing greater year-round comfort and a quieter indoor environment.

Product Spotlight: Dow Building Solutions GREAT STUFF

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According to the U.S. Department of Energy, random air infiltration through gaps and cracks is a leading cause of energy loss in homes, accounting for 25–40% of energy loss in most residential structures. Fortunately, Dow Building Solutions (DBS) has been a leader in building envelope solutions, including air sealing and insulation, for over 60 years. Dow offers the broadest array of solutions for minimizing energy loss and moisture damage caused by air leaks, including FROTH-PAK™ Foam Insulation and Foam Sealant Kits, and GREAT STUFF PRO™ Insulating Foam Sealants and Adhesives. At the International Builders’ Show (IBS) 2011, the DBS booth featured a fun, fascinating, and interactive presentation about GREAT STUFF, which showed how the products work to fill gaps and cracks and how they can help to seal a home, increase energy efficiency, and save money.

Air Leaks and Drafts

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Air leaks, or what are commonly known as drafts, occur at penetrable locations along a ceiling, beneath an attic. Common locations where air has the ability to leak into an attic include gaps between sheets of drywall; holes through which wiring runs; and around an attic hatch cover, a chimney, recessed lighting, or plumbing and mechanical vents. During the colder months, as heat rises through your home, these gaps will allow warm, humid air to circulate into the unconditioned attic. Locating and sealing these leaks will prevent a rise in the ambient temperature of your attic. Energy Star has developed a helpful guide, “A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Sealing and Insulating with Energy Star,” that provides information about what materials, precautions, and methods are necessary to seal attic air leaks.

Urea-Formaldehyde Foam Insulation Material

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Urea-Formaldehyde (UF) foam was used in homes during the 1970s and early 1980s. However, after many health-related court cases due to improper installation practices, UF foam is no longer available for residential use and has been discredited for its formaldehyde emissions and shrinkage. It is now used primarily for masonry walls in commercial/industrial buildings.

Loose-Fill Insulation

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Loose-fill insulation consists of small particles of fiber, foam, or other materials. These small particles form an insulation material that can conform to any space without disturbing any structures or finishes. This ability to conform makes loose-fill insulation well suited for retrofits and for places where it's difficult to install some other types of insulation.

Vermiculite and Perlite Insulation Materials

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Vermiculite and perlite insulation materials are commonly found as attic insulation in homes built before 1950. Vermiculite insulation materials aren't widely used anymore because they sometimes contain asbestos. However, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, asbestos is not intrinsic to vermiculite. Only a few sources of vermiculite have been found to contain more than tiny trace amounts. Still, if you have vermiculite insulation in your attic, do not disturb it. If you want to add insulation to your attic, use an insulation contractor who is trained and certified in handling asbestos.

 

 

 

Selecting Insulation for New Home Construction

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Your state and local building codes probably include minimum insulation requirements, but to build an energy-efficient home, you may need or want to exceed them. For maximum energy efficiency, you should also consider the interaction between the insulation and other building components. This is called the whole-house systems design approach.

Air Barriers

Air barriers block random air movement through building cavities. As a result, they help prevent air leakage in your home, which can account for 30% or more of a home's heating and cooling costs. Air barriers also help control moisture in a home. While they stop most air movement, air barriers also allow any water vapor that does enter to diffuse back out again.

Board Insulation

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Board insulation, also referred to as foam-plastic board insulation, can be used in many areas of building construction to provide thermal resistance. It is appropriate for use under concrete floor slabs, at foundation walls, in wall cavities, as a backer material for remodeling with new siding, and in a wide range of roofing applications. Foam plastic boards encompass three types: polystyrene, polyisocyanurate, and polyurethane. All types of foam-plastic board insulation panels need to be protected from the damaging ultraviolet effects of the sun. Additionally, foam-plastic insulation should be protected from fire as it will emit dense smoke containing toxic gases. Unfaced foam-plastic insulation boards used in construction are required by codes to be completely concealed in fire resistant materials. Glass fiber resin mixtures and mineral wool are also manufactured in board products for use in construction applications. Blanket, foamed-in-place, loose-fill, blow-in and sprayed type insulations are summarized in other sections.

Blanket Insulation

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This topic includes information related to blanket insulation installed during construction. Blanket insulation is commonly installed along crawl space foundation walls, between studs, joists and rafters. Blanket insulation materials include; fiberglass, mineral wool, plastic fibers and natural fibers.

Roof and Deck Insulation

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The purpose of roof and deck insulation is to provide resistance to thermal energy. When insulation can inhibit the flow of thermal energy, the result will be a greater capacity to conserve heating and cooling energy. Heat flows from hot to cold due to conduction, convection and radiation. Heat is measured using the British Thermal Unit (BTU) where a BTU is the energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Therefore, a material with a higher R-value will provide greater thermal resistance. The roof of a building can be the structure's largest surface area, and consequently the area in which heat has the greatest opportunity to escape. With the correct type of insulation specified as part of the roof system, it will meet energy performance requirements and codes and provide many years of fundamental performance.

Thermal Insulation

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This topic includes information related to thermal insulation installed during construction. Thermal insulation materials are installed in ceiling, attics, crawl spaces, exterior walls, under concrete slabs and around foundation walls, to reduce the rate of heat transfer. Thermal insulation materials are manufactured products that take the form of board, blanket, foam, loose-fill, blown or sprayed materials.

Blown Insulation

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This topic includes information related to blown insulation installed during construction. Blown insulation is commonly installed in between studs, joists and rafters. Blown insulation materials include; cellulose, fiberglass and mineral wool.

 

Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems

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This topic includes information related to exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) installed during construction. EIFS, commonly referred to as synthetic stucco, is an exterior cladding. They are manufactured, proprietary systems that incorporate polymer based, polymer modified coatings and foam insulation. Additional accessories and material options are available, depending on the manufacturer.