Don't Get Beat By The Heat -- Install Bubble Foil Insulation
What the experts have been predicting for years is finally coming true: energy costs are on the rise -- in some areas it's a dramatic rise. Smart homeowners are taking steps NOW to reduce their summertime cooling costs. One way is through the use of what are called radiant heat barriers. Radiant heat barriers are designed to keep structures cool by reflecting most of the heat energy away from the surface of a building. A very easy way to install a radiant heat barrier is through the use of bubble foil insulation. This insulation is typically sold in large rolls -- it looks like plastic packaging bubble-wrap that has had thin aluminum foil glued on both sides. Bubble foil insulation is great to use on cold-air ducts and other areas where panel installation would not be effective. A major manufacturer of bubble foil insulation is the IPC Insulated Products Corp. This company manufactures bubble foil insulation for use in building construction as well as for use as a packaging material. Their "FoilBuild" material, for example, is a 2-sided bubble foil insulation material which is shipped in 500 square feet rolls. It is made from polyethylene plastic bubble material to which very-thin aluminum has been attached on either side. Another company manufacturing bubble foil insulation is Innovative Insulation Inc. Their trademark "TempShield" reflective foil bubble installation comes in 16 inch, 24 inch, 48 inch, 60 inch, or 72 inch rolls. This bubble foil insulation is used for everything from building insulation, to the packaging and shipping of sensitive electronic equipment, in the transportation and automotive industry, and many other applications as well. Another high-quality bubble foil insulation product is Astro-Foil reflective insulation, from Innovative Energy Inc. Actually there are a number of products in this group: Astro-Foil, Astro-Tab, Astro-E (a thinner and lighter bubble foil insulation product), Astro-White I & II (which is thicker), and "Tuff-Stuff" (for heavy-load applications). A standard roll size of Astro-Foil is either a 4 foot or 6 foot wide, 125 feet long roll. Some Suggested Uses for Bubble Foil Insulation One of the great things about bubble foil insulation is that it will reflect heat away from the building when the temperature is hot outside, and will also trap heat inside, keeping you warmer in cooler weather -- that's the reason why bubble foil insulation is made with the aluminum foil on both sides. One typical installation might be to install both foil insulation over rafters in your roof, reflecting that heat back up instead of allowing it to be absorbed -- this will help keep room areas underneath cooler. Installing bubble foil insulation will help to reflect radiated heat energy from within the rooms back into the room area -- this helps to minimize heat loss, thereby helping to keep a room interior warm. Bubble foil insulation is also often times installed around ductwork to help minimize heat loss (when used on hot air furnace ducts), or to minimize heat absorption (when used on cool air-conditioning ductwork). An interesting fact is that bubble foil insulation is often used in the construction of campers and recreational vehicles -- for both heating and cooling efficiency. |
