Insulation
Business Insulation
Structural Info
Ceiling/Roof Insulation
Oftentimes in commercial facilities, the largest exposed area is the roof. Therefore, it is very important that this area be insulated to the recommended levels. A ceiling or roof with too little insulation could be wasting your energy dollars in both winter and summer.
Insulation levels are referred to by R-value. The R-value of a given insulation is an indication of how well it resists the transfer of heat. The higher the R-value the better it is at slowing heat loss or gain. Listed below are the three most common ways to achieve the recommended insulation levels:
Sprayed-on polystyrene or rigid insulation is usually installed as part of a re-roofing project. The installation costs can be considerable and, unless the roof must be replaced anyway, the costs usually are not justified. Both types of insulation should be installed by a qualified roofing contractor. Additional load on the roof deck should also be evaluated, especially on metal deck roofs. As with all roofing work, be sure to get a written warranty from the contractor.
Loose-fill fiberglass and cellulose or fiberglass batt insulation is inexpensive and usually pays for itself in two to eight years, depending on the situation. To further reduce the cost, you may be able to do the installation yourself. Remember, wet insulation loses its insulating value, so any roof leaks should be repaired before installing the insulation. The area above a dropped ceiling should not be insulated if it is used as a return air plenum.
How Much Is Enough?
Buildings in colder climates require higher insulation levels. Recommended R-values for ceilings typically range from 19 to 38. Your local utility representative can help determine what level of insulation you need.
The first step in determining the need for more insulation is to measure the existing insulation. Keep in mind that adding more insulation has diminishing returns. For example, the first R-11 of ceiling insulation pays for itself very quickly, whereas the next R-11 added will have a longer payback.
Duct Insulation
Any heating or cooling air ducts located in unconditioned areas should be insulated. Insulating your ducts will reduce energy bills and improve comfort. Also, insulating ducts can help to eliminate condensation problems in damp areas.
Types of Insulation
The predominant insulation material for ducts is fiberglass. It can be applied in either a flexible or rigid form and comes in a variety of densities and thicknesses. The flexible blanket insulation is available in rolls for convenience in shipping and ease of application to round or rectangular ducting. Flexible insulation easily conforms to irregular surfaces. Rigid insulation comes in pre-formed boards which are bonded with a thermosetting resin. All duct insulation should have a foil or vinyl facing on the exterior side which serves as a vapor retarder. This prevents moisture from being absorbed into the fiberglass and thus maintains insulation ability. Kraft paper faced insulation should never be used on duct work because of flammability. If any existing insulation has become wet, it should be replaced.
Application
All duct work in attics, basements and crawlspaces should be insulated. The outside air ducts should be insulated up to the outside air damper. The flue pipe should be left bare in the furnace room, so that this heat can contribute to heating combustion air.
Insulation can be purchased from a hardware store, or a heating or insulating contractor can install it for you. The most popular thicknesses and their insulation, or R-values, are shown below. Care should be taken during installation to minimize compression.
Crawl Space or Slab On Grade Insulation
Floor or Basement Insulation
Almost everyone is aware of the importance of ceiling and wall insulation, yet very often nothing is done to insulate floors or basements. While the heat loss through floors or foundation walls is usually less than through ceilings or exterior walls, it can be significant. Insulating your floors or foundation walls can save money and improve comfort as well.
If you are fairly "handy" and have basic hand tools, and if there is sufficient space to work in, you may be able to do the work yourself. If not, contact several qualified insulation contractors for estimates. When comparing estimates, be sure the estimates are based on the same amount (R-value) of insulation.
Complete coverage, with no gaps, is important except that floor joists may be left exposed. Take care to custom fit the insulation as required.
Crawl Spaces
In an unheated or vented crawlspace, insulation should be installed on the underside of the floor over the crawl space. Fiberglass batts or blankets are the easiest material to use in this type of application. The insulation can be held in place with wire mesh, spring metal supports called "tiger claws", or wire or fishing line criss-crossed between floor joists. Be sure to install the insulation so that the vapor barrier faces up toward the warm-in-winter side (this means that you can't staple the vapor barrier to hold the insulation in place).
Crawl spaces with dirt or gravel floors should have a 4 - 6 ml thickness of plastic for ground cover to prevent moisture from the ground from damaging the insulation or structural materials.
Any pipes or ducts that pass through an unheated crawl space should be insulated as well, to prevent heat loss and freezing of water pipes.
If you have a crawl space that is unvented and contains a heating system, water heater or other significant heat source, you may want to insulate the crawl space walls instead to contain the heat and warm the floor above. You can use fiberglass batts or blankets or one of the various foam board insulation materials. If using the foam boards, check local fire codes, as they may require covering the insulation with a fire-retardant finish material.
Basements
If the basement is unheated and contains no major sources of heat, insulate the floor above, as described for crawl spaces.
If the basement is heated or contains any major heat sources, or if you plan to turn the basement into conditioned space, insulate the basement walls to below the frost line (usually several feet below grade in the northern half of the United States). Use either fiberglass batts or blankets or rigid foam board insulation.
Slab On Grade Foundations
The majority of the heat loss from a slab on grade foundation occurs at the edges where the slab is exposed to the outside air. Insulating around the perimeter of the slab will help reduce this loss. Use rigid foam board insulation and extend it down to just below the frost line if possible. The insulation should extend up to the siding and be provided with a special drip cap for moisture protection and to provide a more finished appearance. Exposed insulation should have a protective covering and this is available either pre-applied or as a separate finish coat.
Structural Info
Ceiling/Roof Insulation
Oftentimes in commercial facilities, the largest exposed area is the roof. Therefore, it is very important that this area be insulated to the recommended levels. A ceiling or roof with too little insulation could be wasting your energy dollars in both winter and summer.
Insulation levels are referred to by R-value. The R-value of a given insulation is an indication of how well it resists the transfer of heat. The higher the R-value the better it is at slowing heat loss or gain. Listed below are the three most common ways to achieve the recommended insulation levels:
- Install moisture-resistant sprayed-on polystyrene insulation on top of the existing roof.
- Install rigid insulation between the roof decking and the upper membrane.
- Insulate above a dropped ceiling or in an attic with loose-fill fiberglass or cellulose, or fiberglass batt insulation.
Sprayed-on polystyrene or rigid insulation is usually installed as part of a re-roofing project. The installation costs can be considerable and, unless the roof must be replaced anyway, the costs usually are not justified. Both types of insulation should be installed by a qualified roofing contractor. Additional load on the roof deck should also be evaluated, especially on metal deck roofs. As with all roofing work, be sure to get a written warranty from the contractor.
Loose-fill fiberglass and cellulose or fiberglass batt insulation is inexpensive and usually pays for itself in two to eight years, depending on the situation. To further reduce the cost, you may be able to do the installation yourself. Remember, wet insulation loses its insulating value, so any roof leaks should be repaired before installing the insulation. The area above a dropped ceiling should not be insulated if it is used as a return air plenum.
How Much Is Enough?
Buildings in colder climates require higher insulation levels. Recommended R-values for ceilings typically range from 19 to 38. Your local utility representative can help determine what level of insulation you need.
The first step in determining the need for more insulation is to measure the existing insulation. Keep in mind that adding more insulation has diminishing returns. For example, the first R-11 of ceiling insulation pays for itself very quickly, whereas the next R-11 added will have a longer payback.
Duct Insulation
Any heating or cooling air ducts located in unconditioned areas should be insulated. Insulating your ducts will reduce energy bills and improve comfort. Also, insulating ducts can help to eliminate condensation problems in damp areas.
Types of Insulation
The predominant insulation material for ducts is fiberglass. It can be applied in either a flexible or rigid form and comes in a variety of densities and thicknesses. The flexible blanket insulation is available in rolls for convenience in shipping and ease of application to round or rectangular ducting. Flexible insulation easily conforms to irregular surfaces. Rigid insulation comes in pre-formed boards which are bonded with a thermosetting resin. All duct insulation should have a foil or vinyl facing on the exterior side which serves as a vapor retarder. This prevents moisture from being absorbed into the fiberglass and thus maintains insulation ability. Kraft paper faced insulation should never be used on duct work because of flammability. If any existing insulation has become wet, it should be replaced.
Application
All duct work in attics, basements and crawlspaces should be insulated. The outside air ducts should be insulated up to the outside air damper. The flue pipe should be left bare in the furnace room, so that this heat can contribute to heating combustion air.
Insulation can be purchased from a hardware store, or a heating or insulating contractor can install it for you. The most popular thicknesses and their insulation, or R-values, are shown below. Care should be taken during installation to minimize compression.
Crawl Space or Slab On Grade Insulation
Floor or Basement Insulation
Almost everyone is aware of the importance of ceiling and wall insulation, yet very often nothing is done to insulate floors or basements. While the heat loss through floors or foundation walls is usually less than through ceilings or exterior walls, it can be significant. Insulating your floors or foundation walls can save money and improve comfort as well.
If you are fairly "handy" and have basic hand tools, and if there is sufficient space to work in, you may be able to do the work yourself. If not, contact several qualified insulation contractors for estimates. When comparing estimates, be sure the estimates are based on the same amount (R-value) of insulation.
Complete coverage, with no gaps, is important except that floor joists may be left exposed. Take care to custom fit the insulation as required.
Crawl Spaces
In an unheated or vented crawlspace, insulation should be installed on the underside of the floor over the crawl space. Fiberglass batts or blankets are the easiest material to use in this type of application. The insulation can be held in place with wire mesh, spring metal supports called "tiger claws", or wire or fishing line criss-crossed between floor joists. Be sure to install the insulation so that the vapor barrier faces up toward the warm-in-winter side (this means that you can't staple the vapor barrier to hold the insulation in place).
Crawl spaces with dirt or gravel floors should have a 4 - 6 ml thickness of plastic for ground cover to prevent moisture from the ground from damaging the insulation or structural materials.
Any pipes or ducts that pass through an unheated crawl space should be insulated as well, to prevent heat loss and freezing of water pipes.
If you have a crawl space that is unvented and contains a heating system, water heater or other significant heat source, you may want to insulate the crawl space walls instead to contain the heat and warm the floor above. You can use fiberglass batts or blankets or one of the various foam board insulation materials. If using the foam boards, check local fire codes, as they may require covering the insulation with a fire-retardant finish material.
Basements
If the basement is unheated and contains no major sources of heat, insulate the floor above, as described for crawl spaces.
If the basement is heated or contains any major heat sources, or if you plan to turn the basement into conditioned space, insulate the basement walls to below the frost line (usually several feet below grade in the northern half of the United States). Use either fiberglass batts or blankets or rigid foam board insulation.
Slab On Grade Foundations
The majority of the heat loss from a slab on grade foundation occurs at the edges where the slab is exposed to the outside air. Insulating around the perimeter of the slab will help reduce this loss. Use rigid foam board insulation and extend it down to just below the frost line if possible. The insulation should extend up to the siding and be provided with a special drip cap for moisture protection and to provide a more finished appearance. Exposed insulation should have a protective covering and this is available either pre-applied or as a separate finish coat.
