Bubble Wrap Insulation R Value

During the winter bubble wrap can effectively protect your home or greenhouse against the cold penetrating inside and prevent heat from moving out.

Bubble wrap insulation r value.

I have heard some say that the insulation could be installed loosely to maintain the gap. Video library for addition videos. However we see claims of up to r 14 for some bubble products. If the product is simply doubled with no air space between the layers a very minimal benefit is obtained r 1 1 per layer for the reflective double bubble product.

How to install bubble wrap on windows. If you read the fine print this rating is always achieved as part of an overall assembly which usually includes a lot of dead air spaces. The approximate r value of the air space would be about 1. A single pane window has an r value of 8.

By contrast 2 inches of extruded polystyrene insulation has an r value of 10. Bubble wrap works as insulation because it raises your windows r value. After all the trouble of trying to keep the bubble wrap off the ducts the total r value would be 2 instead of 1 which may be insufficient to prevent condensation under some conditions. Bubble wrap will instantly increase the insulation r value resistance to heat flow of your windows by a factor of 1 one.

Worth mentioning to get the equivalent r value to what the manufactures claim on the packaging the installer has to use spacers under the insulation to keep the prescribed air gap between the ducts and the foil. It does as you point out change the conductive properties. The r value of 3 8 inch thick foil faced expanded polystyrene foam is about 1 6. Product description the reflectix r 8 0 duct insulation is a nominal 1 thick and consists of an outer reflective surface two layers of big bubbles in the center and a second outer reflective surface.

Bubble foil does offer some r value because of the bubbles because remember radiant barrier does not have an r value on its own. Most metallic bubble wraps are about an r 1. Some of the better manufactures state in fine print when you can find it the conductive r value of their products. The product provides an r 8 0 when installed with a 0 75 air gap between the duct and the insulation and r 6 0 when installed direct to the duct without a spacer.