This may not come as news to many of our readers, but it is recommended for owners of commercial buildings and metal buildings in the industrial sector to have the ceilings and the walls insulated. This is applicable for buildings such as warehouses, retail centers, etc. While considering insulation, vinyl insulation and vinyl-faced insulation are popular and smart choices, especially for metal buildings.
In this article, we dive deeper into vinyl insulation and explore all similar concepts. We will also discuss applying vinyl-faced insulation or vinyl-backed insulation for the best results.
What Is Vinyl Insulation?
Before we learn more about vinyl insulation and other forms, it is essential to know the material first. Vinyl is a synthetic polymer and contains polyvinyl chloride. This plastic is used extensively in the manufacturing sector. The second most manufactured polymer globally has many properties that make it perfect for insulation. They include:
- Vinyl is resistant to moisture and humidity and can be used for an extended period with little to no maintenance.
- They are very strong and are not harmful to nature as their primary constituent is common salt and is recyclable.
Vinyl is mainly used in vinyl-faced fiberglass insulation as a facing material for the blanket insulation method. The mode of operation of such insulation is fairly simple. The fiberglass is mainly responsible for the prevention of transfer of heat and plays a pivotal role in insulating the building, increasing its overall efficiency. On the other hand, vinyl is laminated on fiberglass to create a barrier for vapors and moisture and create an ambient environment inside your building.
How Is Vinyl Faced Insulation Different from Unfaced Insulation?
Vinyl-faced insulation is a popular insulation solution, wherein vinyl is used as the facing material to complement the efficiency of fiberglass. It is a protective coating, a vapor resistant cover, and at the same time, an excellent insulating solution, especially for metal buildings and commercial buildings.
Vinyl-faced insulation and vinyl insulation are fundamentally different, and we will look closely at their differences. The main difference is that the faced insulation solutions have an additional protective coating layer, especially for blocking out moisture and vapor content. This contributes considerably to increasing the overall R-value of the insulation.
Vinyl Back Insulation R-Value
R-Value of a material measures its insulation properties against heat transfer. The higher the R-value of a material, the higher the material’s insulating power. The climate zone of your building determines the R-value of a material and its efficiency, and the part of the home you are insulating.
The R-value of vinyl-faced insulation also depends on the thickness of the material used and the number of layers of insulation you apply for the building. These factors also directly affect the budget of your entire project and must be considered carefully before making a decision.
Below given is the R-value of vinyl-backed insulation solutions for different thicknesses.
Thickness | R-Value |
2.7 inches | R 8 |
3 inches | R 10 |
3.5 inches | R 11 |
4 inches | R 13 |
6 inches | R 19 |
8 inches | R 25 |
9.5 inches | R 30 |
Applications for Vinyl Insulation
Vinyl insulations and vinyl-faced insulation solutions are extensively used in commercial and metal buildings for insulation purposes. These are often used in manufacturing plants, hotels, hospitals, retail centers, etc. These solutions are integral to any building that aim to maintain an ambient temperature inside its walls.
Vinyl insulation and vinyl-faced insulations are versatile solutions and can be used for freshly undertaken construction projects and retrofit projects. A new insulation layer is added on top of the existing insulation solution. Vinyl insulation and vinyl-backed insulations can be used on both walls and ceilings and should be done on both surfaces for effective insulation of heat.
VInyl insulations are perfect solutions for cathedrals as their ceilings are required to prevent the downflow of heat during the day. It is also suited for residential applications due to its high efficiency, low cost, and high cost-effectiveness.
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Benefits of Installing Vinyl Insulation
Installing vinyl insulation, or any of its derivatives, including vinyl wrapped insulation or vinyl faced fiberglass insulation, for your building has its advantages. They come in different levels and can provide you with benefits in economic and aesthetic aspects.
Energy Bills
One of the most significant advantages of choosing effective insulation, such as vinyl insulation, is that it keeps the heated air or the cold air.
Heated air or the cold air created by heaters/air conditioners can’t escape the room as easily. Moreover, the external temperature can’t change the temperature inside by much, and hence, one doesn’t have to use the above-mentioned electrical appliances as much. This saves a lot of energy and drastically drives down your energy bills.
Higher HVAC performance
Better insulation of your building leads to lower temperature variation and lower temperature overall, which can increase the efficiency of the ventilation and the HVAC system. An increase in efficiency of the HVAC system can also contribute to lower energy billings.
Increased Comfort
The biggest reason for someone to insulate their home is its ambient temperature and atmosphere to live in. If installed correctly, vinyl insulation and vinyl back insulation can provide you stable temperature even during extreme weathers and provide you with the calm and cozy environment you have dreamt of.
Less Noise
Vinyl-faced insulations, primarily used for thermal insulation from external environments, have an added advantage. They are excellent sound insulators and can create a near-perfect sound barrier for external noise. It can also act as a soundproofing barrier to keep the sound in and is an amazing soundproofing solution in itself.
Reduction of Carbon Footprint
It’s high time we think about our every action regarding how it affects nature. Carbon footprint is an integral factor to consider for commercial buildings, especially in the cases of metal buildings. Vinyl insulation or vinyl-faced insulation can help one decrease the carbon footprint of their building to meet the norms of energy efficiency, lowering the strain the building poses on the environment, etc.
How Effective Is Blanket Insulation?
Blanket insulation is a type of insulation where the insulating material is available in pre-made rolls or blankets. It can be trimmed shaped to fit the client’s needs and can be easily installed. Blanket insulation can be done on surfaces with fewer obstacles, namely, unfinished walls under fresh construction. It can also be fitted between beams and studs to provide utility and aesthetics.
Blanket insulations are very effective solutions and are more affordable than foam insulation. It is easier to install, is energy efficient, and can reduce energy loss by over 50 percent if installed correctly. More importantly, it can effectively be used in layers to increase the efficiency of the material. You can even get an R-value of 30 to 60 using blanket insulation, the standard norm in many places, including Virginia.
Pros and Cons of Vinyl Insulation
We have already seen the characteristics of vinyl insulation, applications of vinyl insulation, and the benefits of installing them in your building. Now, let us systematically understand and weigh the pros and cons of the vinyl-faced insulation solutions in your building.
Pros
- Versatile, robust, and durable material which needs little to no maintenance.
- Economical insulation solution
- VInyl insulations are generally easy to install on the surfaces like walls and ceilings.
- It can easily prevent moisture and vapor content exposure and is resistant to humidity.
- It is an eco-friendly solution as it can be recycled when its operable life is over.
Cons
- Although it can be installed for all situations, it is better to use them on commercial buildings and manufacturing plants.
- Vinyl solutions are better for freshly undertaken projects rather than overlapping them with another existing insulation solution.
- There are states and cities worldwide that have not approved vinyl insulation as a viable insulation solution, and you may be living in one.
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Final Thoughts
In this article, we have discussed vinyl insulation and vinyl-faced insulation solutions. These versatile solutions can keep the external temperature out and the internal temperature from leaking. They are highly effective solutions and are preferred for metal buildings and commercial buildings, in general. It has many advantages over the conventional insulation solutions mentioned above, and it is cost-efficient and energy-efficient at the same time.
We have also discussed the effectiveness of vinyl insulation and carefully weighed its merits and demerits to help you arrive at an informed decision about whether it is suitable for your building.