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Shop Insulation - Fast Shipping of Insulation That Stops Condensation, Cold, Heat and Air

Definition of a Shop

A shop can be made of metal, wood or a combination of each. A metal shop has both metal framing and sheeting. A pole barn shop is composed of wood framing and either metal or wood sheeting. This article will help you determine the best shop insulation.

Do I have to insulate my shop?

Yes. Not maybe. Definitely Yes! I sold metal buildings for years. Many people would say, "I'll buy the insulation later. I've reached my budget." Now that I'm in the insulation business I hear, "I wish I'd bought the insulation when I bought the building."

Why? An under-insulated shop (especially one with metal sheeting) will drip! Any contents you have inside will need to be covered to protect it from the water. In the summer, you'll need to invest in a powerful air-conditioner and run it on high virtually all the time. In the winter, you'll need a real good heater and run it on over-drive. Both the air-conditioner and the heater will create even more condensation. You might as well put on a rain coat and carry an umbrella.

What is the Cheapest Way to Insulate a Shop?

The cheapest way to insulate a shop is to use only one to stop cold, heat, moisture and air. Prodex Total is insulation plus a radiant, vapor and air barrier. You also want an insulation you can install yourself. Spray foam insulation requires a professional installer. Bulky fiberglass is difficult to pitch between framing and sheeting. It requires banding if installed after you've attached sheeting. Prodex Total rolls are light, flexible and easy to install, both new and retrofit applications.

Best Insulation for a Pole Barn or Metal Shop

Fiberglass Insulation - Although still the most widely used insulation due to its familiarity with builders, there are some disadvantages in using it in a shop. The primary issue is its loss of R-value once introduced to moisture. Moisture is unavoidable. Unless you're in the driest of deserts, there's humidity (moisture). If your shop has metal sheeting you'll have condensation (moisture).

Initially, the moisture that's captured in the fiberglass will be hidden behind attractive white vinyl. Soon the mold filled, heavy, sagging and ineffective insulation fibers will cause the vinyl to crack.

Spray Foam - Not the best friend of a do-it-yourselfer. It will cost you more than a few nickels. It does however do a better job of holding it's R-value vs. fiberglass. One of its drawbacks is it doesn't block radiant heat flow. In a shop with metal sheeting, the solar heat is radiated down into the building. You can end up with a building hotter inside than out. Visit spray foam insulation.

Initially, the moisture that's captured in the fiberglass will be hidden behind what starts-off as attractive white vinyl. Soon the mold filled, heavy, sagging and ineffective insulation fibers will cause the vinyl to crack.

Bubble Insulation - Often call bubble wrap, is composed of either one (single bubble) or two (double bubble) layers of air bubbles placed between two foil surfaces. Once the foil is punctured, the bubbles collapse (POP)! Single bubble has a nominal thickness of 5/32 inch. Double bubble measures 5/16 inch. These measurements bear little resemblance to the effective measurement of the products.

There is little difference between the performance of single and double bubble wrap insulation. The latter simply has a second layer of air bubbles (A balloon with more air). Although we strongly recommend Prodex Total over either, if your budget doesn't allow you to purchase the quality of Prodex, we suggest you order single bubble insulation rather than a double bubble. You'll get virtually all the benefits of the double bubble while saving money.

Because bubble insulation has a core composed of air rather than closed cell polyethylene foam, it lacks the long-term consistency in performance of Prodex Total Insulation. Compare bubble insulation to Prodex Total.

Prodex Total Insulation - R-Value unaffected by humidity : Prevents condensation : Prevents 97% of radiant heat transfer : Vapor barrier : Elastic : Does not promote mold or mildew : Does not provide for the nesting of rodents, bugs or birds : Seals around nails (no leak) : Keeps its shape over time (doesn't collapse) : Rippled surface increases airflow.

How Do You Insulate a Shop?

It's a lot easier and less expensive to install Prodex Total than a bulky 6 inch roll of fiberglass. Pinching 6 inches fiberglass between the framing and sheeting is not easy. Prodex Total can be installed before or after your sheeting (metal or wood). For fastest and easiest installation, install before attaching the sheeting. How to insulate a metal building : How to insulate a pole barn

Reflective Insulation vs Fiberglass in a Shop?

Prodex Total can be used as a stand-alone or supplement insulation to fiberglass in a shop. If you are going to use fiberglass for the additional R-value it offers, be sure to include Prodex Total. In addition to increasing the R-value, Prodex will protect the fiberglass from moisture and give you a radiant heat barrier.

The R-values of reflective insulation and mass insulation are based on the same fundamental equation: The ability to stop heat transfer.
Reflective Insulation is a system that reduces the transfer of heat across air space by the use of two surfaces having high thermal reflectance and low emittance (typically metalized film) + an inner substance + trapped airspaces.
The R-value of reflective insulation is the measurement of the system rather than a measurement of just the product. Measuring the R-value of the system (a real-world application) is a truer measurement vs. a measurement of the product only. For example, what good is the posted R-value of fiberglass given that once installed in an environment that includes moisture it loses R-value? Virtually all real-world environments include some humidity. Unlike fiberglass the R-value of Prodex Total is NOT affected by humidity.

Take Their Word For it

Independent Prodex Insulation Reviews at Site Jabber. Site Jabber is the leading community of online business reviewers. The community helps consumers find great online business and avoid scams. The community has grown to over 850,000 members and has reviewed over 58,000 online businesses. Site Jabber was developed in part with a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Insulation4Less reviews and Rating at the Better Business Bureau. For over 100 years, BBB has set the standard for ethical business behavior. We're proud to maintain an "A to A+" rating. This rating takes into account a company's size in its relation to complaints. We're proud to maintain an "A to A+" rating. Accredited since March 15, 2004.
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