Ultimate Guide for Metal Building Insulation

Do you know that insulation is an integral part of prefab metal buildings? Role of insulation is not limited to locations with extreme weather conditions; it is also crucial for places with average climate conditions.

Most people relate insulation to temperature control inside structure, but it is not limited to that. If you are planning to purchase a perfect steel facility for your property, you must think twice about the type of insulation you want for your metal structure. For better understanding, you can go through the following insulation guide for facilities: clear span building, metal farm building, and metal workshop building.

What is Insulation

For prefab steel structures, insulation can be explained as a heat-resistant material placed between the peripheral wall’s interior and exterior metal sheets. It prevents heat transfer from inside to outside and vice-versa. It is one of the core functions of insulation in steel facilities. Proper heat isolation can be achieved for prefab structures using a specifically engineered insulation method.

Why Metal Buildings Need Insulation

There are several reasons for using insulation for prefabricated buildings. Using proper insulation for the facility, the level of insulation can be improved. It can help you achieve effective climate isolation, vital for energy efficiency and in-house comfort.

Along with temperature control, insulation is crucial to make facility noise-proof. By minimizing condensation factor, insulation is essential in prolonging the facility’s life.

Purposes of Insulation

More than energy conservation, insulation is worth a lot for prefab steel structures. It enhances the comfort level inside the structure and helps cut energy costs. Here are three main reasons for selecting insulation wisely.

Handle Inside Environment Efficiently

As a heat-resistant agent, metal building insulation’s primary objective is to provide the best isolation from the external environment. Inadequate isolation from external climate conditions puts some extra load on the temperature control system, resulting in high energy costs.

Proper heat insulation can reduce additional load on the temperature control system. Ultimately, it helps you be energy efficient and prevent exceptional energy costs.

Limit Moisture to Minimum Level

Among other environmental factors, condensation is one of the critical factors that can cause severe damage to steel structures. Condensation mainly occurs due to temperature differences between external and internal environments.

This temperature difference causes moisture in the air to settle on cold surface. There is no significant impact of condensation on steel facility for short term. Still, regular moisture accumulation on metal surfaces can cause damage to paint and metal sheet itself.

Here, the insulation layer between external and internal wall panels prevents heat conduction from both directions. With such climate isolation, you can eliminate condensation issues and help maintain structural integrity for long term.

Provide sound Isolation

Sound absorption is also one of the objectives of insulation in prefabricated steel structures, along with temperature isolation. Apart from metal structure’s sound isolation, insulation layer also provides an additional level of sound isolation. It can help you avoid additional noise coming from outside of the facility.

Insulation also limits noise inside the structure and maintains your privacy zone. Worth of noise isolation is more crucial if you are working with power tools and do not want to disturb others.

Types of Metal Building Insulation

As an integral element of prefab steel buildings, insulation plays a crucial role in structure’s longevity. Different materials have different R-values that state their ability to resist heat conduction. Here are some of the most common insulator materials used for prefabricated metal buildings.

Fiber Glass Solution

Fiberglass solution is one of the most famous types of insulator material used in steel structures. With high durability, ease of installation, and attractive finish, it is the most effective insulation type for prefab facilities. In terms of cost-effectiveness, fiberglass solution offers the lowest cost installation per R-value.

Standard Metal Building Blanket Insulation

Standard steel building blanket insulation is generally installed between exterior steel panels and outside of girt. As a traditional insulation type, it is user-friendly in terms of installation. Based on the standard range of R-value, it is available in a range from R-7 to R-19. You can select an appropriate range for your facility based on your requirement.

Filled Cavity System

Similar to its name, in this system, insulation material is filled in girt cavity. In this process, thermal break tape is initially applied to the exterior face of the girts, and later steel panels are installed to it. It is the best type of insulation for metal buildings to prevent air and water leaks. With the least difficulty, this insulation type’s installation cost is meager.

Rigid Board Solution

Rigid board insulation is also known as continuous insulation type. Similar to other insulation types, insulation boards are placed inside the girt cavity before installing interior wall panels. The material used to design rigid boards is prone to fire. As a standard, these boards are installed with at least 22-gauge panels if left exposed. It is also required to have the least class A fire rating.

Spray Foam Insulation

Of all the insulation types explained above, spray foam insulation is most commonly used for prefab metal buildings. Generally, this technique of building insulation is used for small structures. Spray foam insulation is directly applied to metal wall panels after ensuring that metal panels are ready for insulation spray. Most of the time, closed-cell spray foam is used to insulate steel buildings.

Single Bubble Insulation

Single bubble insulation is simple in design and a cost-effective solution for metal buildings. Single-bubble insulation is better for structures in tropical areas or areas with average weather conditions. In terms of durability, it is puncture and tear-resistant.

It is also effective to prevent the development of mold and mildew in the wall cavity. Ease of installation, excellent durability, and energy efficiency are some significant benefits of single-bubble insulation you can leverage by selecting it. This insulation type is effective for dog houses, hot water tanks, DIY projects, attics, crawl spaces, and vehicle parking.

Double Bubble Insulation

Double-bubble insulation material is similar to single-bubble insulation with greater thickness, R-value, and safety measurements. Because of additional thickness, double-bubble insulation is known for offering better thermal resistivity. Because of this, it is an effective choice for structures like residential buildings, commercial buildings, storage units, and workshops that need better thermal isolation.

Woven R-17 Insulation

Woven R-17 insulation type can be explained as the insulation material formed by combining aluminum foil, bubble material, and woven material; that offers an R17 insulation rating. If you are looking for an insulator with better thermal isolation, Woven R-17 insulation is best for you. It can offer maximum thermal isolation compared to other insulation materials.

Get Solution At Viking Steel Structures

Now you have enough knowledge to start a quest for your metal building. If you are searching for a best-in-class 100% American-manufactured structure, we at Viking Steel Structures offer prefab buildings with single-bubble, double-bubble, and Woven R17 insulation. Based on your requirement, you can go for any building with the respective insulation type. You can book your metal building by consulting our building experts at 877-801-3263 or visiting our building catalogs.