Foil faced insulation is an effective and popular insulating product, consisting of foil facing combined with thick layers of insulation material (typically fiberglass batts).
Foil facing can enhance insulation performance by reflecting heat away and acting as a vapor barrier, helping prevent condensation and moisture loss.
Reflective Barrier
Foil faced insulation is designed to reflect heat back into its surrounding space, helping protect buildings against summer heat entering them while keeping heat inside during winter. When installed properly, foil faced insulation reflects radiant energy back out into its environment – keeping summer heat out while conserving warmth inside during the cold months ahead.
Reflective insulation works like a thermos in terms of keeping temperature differences separate, offering an excellent way to keep your building cozy year round while saving on energy costs through lower HVAC usage and costs.
Foil-backed insulation requires at least one side to have an air gap – commonly known as dead airspace – in order to function effectively. This gap must remain unfilled at all times or its effectiveness will be severely limited.
Radiant barrier air gaps should be between 1/2” and 3/4” in width in order to enable proper insulation performance, just as an air gap on a glass door would enable its window to work correctly.
Moisture Barrier
Foil faced insulation is made up of an outer thin layer that serves to protect it against moisture and humidity, providing additional energy efficiency in heating and cooling systems. Furthermore, this form of insulation can be used to wrap ducts and pipes for better energy management in heating/cooling systems.
Foil faced insulation is often installed as a radiant barrier in warmer climates to reflect outdoor heat back into the building and reduce air conditioning costs while increasing home comfort.
Temperature differences cause water vapor to condense on cooler surfaces, potentially leaving moisture behind on walls if there’s no vapor barrier in place to prevent moisture entering through it.
Vapor barriers can be added to fiberglass or other forms of foam board insulation in many applications, including attics, exterior walls and basements. Stapling it to the studs or joists provides optimal moisture protection.
Noise Barrier
Aluminum foil is an excellent material for soundproofing purposes as it absorbs up to 85% of noise emissions, making it suitable for home, industrial building and vehicle applications.
Aluminum foil acts both as reflective insulation and sound barrier insulation; hence its widespread adoption among businesses and industries alike.
Foil faced insulation is lightweight and easy to install, making it an excellent choice for many different applications. With its clean interior appearance and variety of thicknesses available, foil faced insulation provides the ideal insulation solution.
Vinaflex(r) (FF) noise barrier is a flexible vinyl mass loaded barrier backed with reinforced aluminum foil on one side that can be used to cover pipes, ducts and valves that produce noise in various applications.
Pipe and duct lagging and wraps typically consist of a one or two lb/sq-ft, reinforced foil-faced mass loaded vinyl barrier attached to a quilted fiberglass decoupler, which works together to enhance acoustical performance, thermal conductivity and reduce installation costs. This combination helps improve acoustical performance as well as thermal conductivity thereby decreasing installation costs and installation times.
Fire Resistance
Foil faced insulation features a reflective layer on one side, helping prevent heat loss through conduction and convection.
Insulation made from fiberglass is non-combustible and should always be installed with a flame retardant barrier for added safety, such as attics, basements or crawlspaces. Installing it correctly with these barriers ensures it won’t ignite! For the best results it should always be installed along these barriers when possible – for attic access purposes as well as basement and crawlspace insulation installations.
Insulation facing can create a vapor barrier, helping prevent moisture and gases from penetrating a building through air spaces between walls and roof. As moisture can quickly seep into these spaces, such a protection is invaluable.
Foil faced insulation can also serve as a radiant barrier, reflecting heat back into a room instead of dissipating it elsewhere in a building.