Low-E Products

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Not even a short experiment in the name of Science?!?

Haha! It wouldn't be too hard to do. But I would have to get up too early.
The timer runs the oil burner for only 1/2 hour a day, early in the AM..

However, to make it worth my while.. I could make a tweak to the Renovation!

I believe that I should add some little 10 or 15mm spacers between the foil layers and the steel.
The spacers need to be made of a material that has a very Slow rate of conductance heat transfer.
And in keeping with the Code of the DIYer, they must be cheap, very cheap..

These spacers should keep the foil from contacting the hot steel boiler,
and prevent (or slow) conductive heat transfer into the foil layers..

Since I don't have any LI-900 silica tiles (Space Shuttle tile), I'm thinking
of Coroplas (political ad sign material) cut into 1m x 15 mm strips and given a 'Z' fold..
Better yet, if I can cut the edges with Z-scissors, the point-of-contact with the hot steel (and foil) can be minimized..



Yeah, that's the right stuff. How can I tell? It's what I have in stock..

So, now it seems that I've got to do two Before checks..
#1 with the current insulated setup, #2 with no added reflective insulation,
and then do an After, with the spaced-out added reflective insulation.

I'm busy now, but maybe I can do this on Tuesday. Or, the day after tomorrow.?.

[davranyou]

This Low E Insulation looks interesting. I will have to take a good look at their website.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Xringer

I believe that I should add some little 10 or 15mm spacers between the foil layers and the steel. The spacers need to be made of a material that has a very Slow rate of conductance heat transfer. And in keeping with the Code of the DIYer, they must be cheap, very cheap.

I have seen a material, I'm not sure what it is called, but it is a white net made out of closed cell foam. It is pretty thin, maybe 3/16" thick.

I have seen it used as a packing material for fruit and fragile ceramic ware.

I was thinking it would make a dandy standoff for the reflectix-type stuff to reduce radiated heat in walls & floors.

You could probably even use fish net, it's contact area would be really tiny.

-AC_Hacker

[BarryZ]

A friend of mine who installs this under vinyl siding calls it "Bubba Wrap". I couldn't figure out what he was talking about till I saw a piece.

Another factor to consider in using it as a building wrap is that it is a very good vapor barrier with the seams taped. We never cover our exterior walls with visqueen any more, so I can't see the wisdom of using this stuff as a house wrap.

[Xringer]

The white foam mesh that AC posted above is an idea for a 'spacer'.
Something to keep the reflective foil from being in contact with a conductive surface.
Alone, the mesh has little value as an insulator, or reflector. It's just one
component of a two part reflective system.

Since the space between my floor joyce planks is pretty deep, I think
the 16" wide Low-E tab product could be installed with staples,
in the middle of the joyce, leaving a lot of air space between the
reflector and the subflooring.

The main problems I see with the idea, about 1/2 my basement is finished,
with a lowered ceiling. (I would have to remove it).
And the unfinished area has plumbing and wiring between the joyces,
that I would like to keep accessible..


~~~

The stuff that's under my vinyl siding is 3/8" foam sheet, with foil over it.
It keeps the walls from absorbing heat during the summer.
The heat radiated from the vinyl is reflected right back at the vinyl.

I have thin foil covered battens of fiber between the wall studs,
but the foil has deteriorated to a flat dull silver color since 1956
and is not very reflective anymore.

But, since the vinyl siding was placed over the old wooden shingles, that
were installed over a 1/2" fiber matting (over 1/2" planks)..
The over-all thickness of the walls helps keep the rate of loss pretty low.