Anybody have any experience or quantitative data on the performance of multiple layers of foil and airspaces as roof or wall insulation?
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No.
Good luck though. I'm sure the manufactures or rather sale force of the foil bubble stuff have plenty of facts and data for you.
A third party is really needed for anything that appears to good to be true.
Stu
We've started to build a link farm from around the globe to battle the snake oil bubble foil stories...there are a few applications for these types of products but relying on reflectivity long term in reducing heat transfer is risky business. Why? Because one can not guarantee with certainty that the emissivity will remain over its life time. Oxidation and dust have a parasitic effect on its performance and it’s almost impossible to predict how fast or if it occurs. In addition the reflectivity is entirely dependant on the air space next to the foil. Without it, its reflectivity is reduced to zero and it is solely a conductive process. Using it as a stand alone building membrane insulation is asking for trouble especially when one goes to sell the home at a later date. Would you disclose it to the new buyers?<!----><!----><!---->
Its funny even DuPont have gotten into the smoke and mirrors game with the launch of their Tyvek Thermal Wrap product. The guys over at Energy Design Update are having way too much fun taking these companies to task - I love it! For entertaining reading you can see the brew bubbling on page 10 of this link: http://www.nrel.gov/buildings/pdfs/edu_0906.pdf<!----><!---->
The entire reflective bubble faux industry is suspect in my books…RIMA must have their hands full trying to get members and non members to step up their professionalism in building science.<!----><!---->
Want to see what the Federal Trade Commission, building science researchers, and testing agencies have to say about one application for reflective bubble foil insulation visit this link: http://www.healthyheating.com/Page%2055/Page_55_o_bldg_sys.htm <!----><!---->
Borrowing from a way witty women I know, next time the sales guys try to pitch their poop, challenge them to waddle into the winters waters wearing a bathing suit of bubble foil for a few days…if nothing shrinks you know its passed the human element test.<!----><!---->
ASHRAE Fundamentals, Chapters 23 and 25, Table 3 (in the 2005 edition) covers this in as much detail as you can stand.
An older associate of mine (no longer with us) once explained to me the construction of a wall of a refrigerated building designed in the early fifties, that consisted of 4 thin aluminim sheets separated by air space of about one inch each, in slots cut ion 2x6 lumber frames. Worked extremely well, was quite labor intensive and is no longer economically viable in comparison to modern insulating products.