Facings

In addition to acting as a decorative protection barrier, facings serve an integral part of the overall insulation system. Facings provide vapor barriers, light reflectivity and structural strength. In some cases, a reinforcement of fiberglass scrim is used for extra rigidity and greater impact resistance.

The effectiveness of a vapor barrier depends on three primary factors:

1) Location within the insulated section

2) Permeance

3) Proper installation

Steel Building Manufacturers

Finding a bona fide steel building manufacturer is sometimes difficult. Everywhere you look there seems to be someone selling a "factory clearance" or "cancelled order" buildings. Well 99% of it is a farce. There are too many brokers and re-sellers out there to count. What they want is your deposit. You can fight with them about the actual details later. They just want the deposit. Take advantage of all the resources available to you. Try locating the manufacturer to match your expectations. This may be slightly more time consuming, but well worth it when your new steel building is delivered exactly to your specifications.

Getting multiple bids for any kind of service is key. Ask several steel building manufacturers to quote your building and explain precisely by line item what your price includes. You can turn to the Internet to seek out steel building manufacturers, but be warned. You will encounter many wolves in sheep's clothing. Contact the Better Business Bureau, or other affiliations to ensure a company has a good track record. Form a list of qualified steel building manufacturers, do your research and you can gauge which manufacturers you prefer to deal with. Once your bids are returned to you, the selection process should be easy to complete. You can choose to follow up with the most qualified companies to purchase your metal building or to ask additional questions.

Thermal Conductivity (K-Value)

A unit used to express the amount of heat, in BTU's per hour, that passes through one square foot of homogeneous material that is exactly one inch thick and has a temperature difference of one degree Fahrenheit between its surfaces. As the K-Value decreases, so does the amount of heat permitted to pass through the material.

Recommended Installation Methods of Insulation

Roof insulation rolls are cut to lengths that will cover the distance from eave to eave, leaving a one-foot overhang on each side of the building.

1) Start at the end of the building and temporarily secure one end of the roll by attaching the insulation to the eave strut with double-faced tape.

2) Pull the insulation across the purlins with the vapor barrier toward the building interior. Double-faced tape attached to the opposite end of the insulation will keep tension on the roof roll while the metal panels are being attached over the insulation.

3) Install the next roll in the same manner, making sure the rolls are stretched tight, aligned properly and closely butted.

4) Fasten tabs using one of the methods described on the following page. Any rips or tears must be covered with matching facing tape to ensure a tight vapor seal.

5) Trim excess insulation flush to prevent it from acting as a wick and moving water into the building.

Insulating Against Radiant Heat

Traditional forms of mass insulation, like fiberglass, are effective in preventing heat transfer by conduction and convection, but they less effect on radiant heat. Between 80 and 90% of the radiant heat striking fiberglass will pass through or be "emitted". Radiant transfer typically has as much impact on the temperature in a building as conduction and convection. For more information on radiant barrier facings click here.