This is Ed Fritz, I'm the owner of WareHouseFoil.com and in this video I'm going to talk about
different installation methods for installing a radiant barrier in a commercial-type building.
When I say commercial-type building, it could be an airplane hangar, a barn, a shed, a mini
storage unit...pretty much any building that's a non-residential attic type.
In fact, our original website (AtticFoil.com) covers everything you need to know about RESIDENTIAL
ATTIC applications.
In fact, WareHouseFoil.com is a spin-off; we've had so many customers over the years
do commercial-type buildings that we decided to do a dedicated website just for commercial-type
applications.
The biggest challenge is that there are so many different type buildings that can benefit
from a radiant barrier that we can't cover EVERY type of building in detail.
I'm going to cover most of the common-type buildings and honestly there's really no right
or wrong way to install it.
You really might have to improvise to make it work.
I apologize, but we don't have a lot of videos or pictures from customers so if you have
any questions, please send us an email or give us a call; send us pictures of your building
and we will help you with a solution for installing WareHouseFoil in your building.
Remember, this information is for NON-CONDITIONED (or non-insulated) buildings.
These are buildings that are typically just a shell.
They usually are either metal, or wood, or a flat warehouse type building.
There's usually air flowing through from the doors and the windows and the shell is getting
hot, absorbing radiant heat from the sun, and then it's re-radiating heat across the
space and heating up everything inside the building.
The main thing to remember is to just cover as much of the shell as possible.
Basically, if the sun is hitting one side, you want to get a piece of WareHouseFoil on
the inside between you and that outer shell.
Here are some general rules to follow when installing WareHouseFoil:
First, the more coverage, the better.
Radiant barrier has a cumulative effect.
Just like if you put a tree over half the building, it'll help, same thing if you put
radiant barrier over half the building, it will help too.
If the sun is hitting the outside of the building, you really want foil on the inside.
Finally, it's OK if you have gaps or cracks or small openings in the foil.
Just remember, the more coverage the better.
Second, it does not have to be pretty or perfect.
Just get the WareHouseFoil up!
The heat doesn't care if the foil is a little crooked or wrinkly.
Finally, let the air flow.
You want air to flow freely though the building.
Usually air is gonna come in the building through doors and windows and then exhaust
through the top of the building through some type of exhaust vents.
Most buildings can be categorized into one of three types.
The first are warehouse type buildings; these are usually flat roofed buildings and they're
built with either concrete walls or cinder block walls.
They usually have a flat roof using a purlin system to hold the roof up, usually either
a tar and gravel type roof or possibly just a bare metal roof.
The second type of building are wood-framed buildings.
These are buildings that are built with wood frames and they've either got a metal-type
shell (like a garage or an auto shop) or they will have a wood-type shell (like a barn).
Finally, the last type of building are metal-framed buildings.
These are buildings that are all metal framing and they usually have an all-metal exterior
skin.
In this video I'm going to give a brief summary on how to install WareHouseFoil in each type
of building.
You'll find complete information on how to install in the different type buildings at
WareHouseFoil.com.
For warehouse-type buildings with purlins, you're generally going to run the WareHouseFoil
between the purlins, up and over the cross supports.
Now WareHouseFoil is available both in 48" and 60" wide rolls.
Typically purlins are on 60" (or 5ft) centers, so the foil fits perfectly between the two
purlins.
All you have to do is bring the foil up and over the cross supports from one end of the
building to the other.
If you don't have cross supports, you can create your own - it's really easy!
You can use wire or cord or packing strapping, pvc pipe, 1x2 lumber...pretty much anything
just to create something to hold the foil up.
It doesn't weight a whole lot, but it's super strong and durable.
You just want to create a grid so the foil can go from one end to the other between the
purlins.
Wood-framed buildings are probably the easiest to install WareHouseFoil in, both in the roof
and in the walls.
A wood-framed building usually has wood frames and either a metal skin or a wood skin, kinda
like a barn.
Really, all you are doing is stapling the foil to that wood framing.
You can either go horizontally or vertically, you can take the measurements and decided
whatever is best for you.
All you are looking for is you want a piece of foil inside the wood framing.
Coming from the outside-in, for example, you'll have the metal, the airspace and then the
foil.
Ideally you want that airspace to be vented (you want air to flow freely between the foil
and the metal skin).
If you have a "dead" air space, that's fine, but a ventilated airspace is a little better.
We also have a product that is white on one side and foil on one side.
With that product you put the foil to the outside (toward the outside of the building)
and you have a nice clean white interior.
So you're reflecting the heat before it ever even gets in to the building.
Metal-framed buildings are probably the hardest to install, simply because you can't staple
WareHouseFoil into the metal.
If you've got a roof where the beams are dropping down a little bit, you can run the foil up
and over the beams (basically between the beams and the roof) and that works great.
If you don't have that option, you're going to have to get a little creative to figure
out a way to attach the WareHouseFoil to the metal framing.
Here are just some of the options (and we've had customers do all kinds of stuff to work):
Probably the easiest way is to attach some type of board (either plywood or 1x2's) to
the metal framing and just staple it.
You can use glue, screws, clamps, pretty much anything to get that wood to attach to the
metal and then you can staple it.
We've also had people do what's called the "sandwich method" where they'll take the foil,
put it up on the metal and then take a strip of plywood and screw it in (to the metal supports)
and basically squeeze the foil between the wood strip and the metal.
We've even had customers use magnets - get a bunch of magnets and hold it up in to place.
Pretty much you've gotta get creative on a metal building.
If you send us some pictures, we will be glad to offer you some suggestions on how to install
WareHouseFoil.
Like I mentioned earlier, there's really no right or wrong way to install WareHouseFoil
in your commercial-type building (besides leaving the required air gap).
You might have to get a little creative to make it happen, but the main thing to remember
is just to get a piece of WareHouseFoil between that hot building shell and the interior.
Once you eliminate that radiant heat, you'll be AMAZED at how much more comfortable the
building feels.
Now, the AIR temperature may not drop a whole lot, but it's the radiant heat that you're
eliminating.
It's kinda like the difference between a car parked in the sun and a car parked in the
shade: same air temperature, but the car parked in the shade is a lot more comfortable.
The main thing is get a piece of foil up, get it done.
If you have any questions, we're always a phone call or an email away at WareHouseFoil.com.