I've have a question about insulation and I'm hoping someone out there has used this stuff. When we poured the floor of the garage I used a foil backed bubble wrapped insulation. Manufacturer claimed an R value of 10+. Now I have some left over and decided to use it on the block wall surface. I don't have enough to do the entire garage so I will need to purchase more. But before I do that I thought I'd throw this question out here and see if any of you have any experience with it. By everything I read its the next best thing since sliced bread. What I'd like to hear is real world use by someone that has it in their home or garage/shop.

 

Hey Mick, Iv'e used this stuff to wrap ac units and duct work, and it worked pretty well. I had a condensation problem in the attic on the ac system, now solved. Heard of people used it in damp crawl spaces too. However, in both of these applications it was dealing with moisture/dewpoint issues.
Don't know if you can trust the manufactures "R" value, as you don't know under what conditions/applications it was tested.
In your case, Iwould think something more traditional might be better. A) I think this stuff can burn, and B) you'll have to try to stop every one from poping those little bubbles. Tough, it's not.
If I wereyou I'd save it for other uses (headliners, water heaters,ac units,air compressure closet,freeze proofing,etc.) This stuff also makes a good pool/hot tub cover. Could also use it to protect delicate plants from frost. The uses are endless, but as a shop wall covering, I think you could do better.
JMHO -Rob-

 

I agree with Ultraute.

 

Hey Mick, I bought into the hype of the bubble/foil radiant insulation for my garage and I'm glad I did. I used the heavy duty stuff under the slab and up the outside of the block (2 courses and covered by concrete based sheathing). I've got the regular duty in the walls behind the drywall (2x6 construction) and in front of the R-15 fiberglass (for 2x4 walls so there's an air gap behind the drywall). The regular stuff is also in the ceiling with cellulose blown in on top. With radiant tubing in the slab, I'm heating a 24' x 40' garage (with 2 overhead doors) with just a small point-of-use water heater. I kept it pretty comfortable in there last winter (in Minnesota) and it didn't melt the snow outside of the garage. It must be doing something right. In the summer it also works good to keep the heat out.
The heavy duty stuff I used is really strong (they call it "tuff stuff"). It's made to go under slabs, etc. I couldn't pop it when I was kneeling on it to tape the seams before I laid out the tubing and I'm not a small guy. It's a lot stronger than the regular stuff.
As far as a wall covering, I wouldn't recommend it without something over it unless you were trying to insulate a large space where the foil wouldn't get damaged and the shiny foil could reflect the heat, like a pole building or a quonset hut. If you've got block walls all the way up, you could put the bubble/foil behind some lath (for an air gap) and then fasten barn panels (fiberglass?) to the lath. That would give you a washable surface that would take some abuse and would still look good. Ultraute is right in that the stuff will burn (or at least melt) when exposed to an open flame. Then again, so will polystyrene (styrofoam). I tried it as a heat shield when soldering copper pipes with a propane torch (for the heating system) and stopped when it started to melt.
I hope this helps.
Greg

 

I appreciate the input guys. I might have miss lead you as I will be covering it up with drywall. What I intend to do is put it against the block walls held in place by furring strips. In the cavities I will use 3/4" foam. From what I have learned I guess is the foam should go in first then the "bubble wrap" on top with the air gap front and back. Thanks again and I'll let you know how it works out. Maybe I'm getting a little crazy with the insulation but the way heating costs are rising I feel for the future it will be very important.

 

As long as it's getting buried in the wall, use the lighter stuff with the foil on both sides instead of the stuff you put under the slab. It should be a little cheaper.

 

Thanks macguyver. That is what is being put up this weekend. I'm going to install the foam board first then the bubblewrap as that seems to be the way all the experts/sales people want it done.

 

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