Anyone familiar with AIR-CELL insulation

[BobR]

As mentioned in another recent thread I am preparing to build new shed. Whilst at one outlet I picked up a brochure on AIR-CELL insulation. Looking to see if anyone on the forum is across this product and if it performs as per documentation. It's very thin and would be easy to work with and makes a claim that it reduces temperature by 12 degrees C inside. No mention of retaining heat in winter.

[Pat]

Bob, I spent today helping my builder erect my new shed. He was doubtful about the foil cell product that I had purchased, but after rolling it onto the from, over screws etc without it ripping , he was impressed.

I used Reflecta Cell (http://www.protherm.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11&Itemid=41), available at Bunnies for $249 per 1500mm x 20m (nominal) roll. Unless all three of us can't count, there was more than 20m on each roll. I even ended up with a full roll left over. The boys even had lunch under the semi complete insulation, as the temp under it was much cooler to the outside temp today.

The builder did comment on the occasions that he had used Aircell, it had ripped easily when dragged over screws and the frame.

[Mr Brush]

I used the reflective air cell stuff on my shed when it was built 4 years ago - it is very easy to use if part of a new build, but I'm not sure how easy it would be to retrofit.

Certainly works as well as any other form of insulation, and I wouldn't want to be handling that quantity of glass wool !

Very quick and easy to put up - just make sure each length is sufficient to span the entire roof without having to join two pieces mid-span.......the idiot builder that put my shed up didn't think of this. He just taped up the resulting join, which fell apart the next summer when the roof got warm. Luckily I found that contact cement makes a more permanent join.:2tsup:

[BobR]

Thanks for the replies. Now have two products to consider.

[Ben from Vic.]

My understanding of insulation is that (with a house) you want a foil layer directly under your roof, the purpose of this is to reflect the heat from the roofing material, and to do this you need a material that doesn't heat up it's self so that it doesn't simply pass the heat on. The foil can then allow the heat in the roof cavity to bleed off as the roof cools through the night because foil it's self isn't that great an insulator The bats on top of the plaster reduce temperature transfer, keeping inside more stable, and have been given a hand by the fact that your roof space isn't so hot.



So what you have on your shed is a radiant heat and condensation barrier, with the bubbles providing a bit of insulation as air is a poor conductor of heat. In summer you can expect the shed to be somewhere near the temperature of being in the shade.

[rat52]

I used the air cell when I built my shed 2 yrs ago .

I used it on the walls as well as the roof between the cladding and the purlins.

It has definately been the best $900 I has spent as it does keep the shed 10-15 deg cooler or warmer than the outside temprature. The only drawback is when I have to leave the doors open when machining to get rid of the dust but it is still better than the other sheds I have worked in.

[BobR]

Thanks for the input.

[RonMcGr]

We have a similar product lining the top of the ceilings in our home.
It is called space age foil. The layers of silver plastic with bubblewrap in between.

The company laid it throughout the roof cavity and stapled it down.
The effect was instantanious. Very cool in summer and a little too cool in winter. Winter time we have to open the house up to let the warm air in, as it will not radiate from the roof.
I guess if we had heaters, it would work, but it is Brisbane :D

Cheers,
Ron

[banjoping]

AirCell and any of the bubble wrap products are an expensive waste of money.

The Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand (ICANZ) in conjunction with the CSIRO has done a whole heap of scientific testing on differing types of insulation, and depending on the style of roof (pitched/metal/tile etc) and the season, Building Blanket and Foil is typically anywhere from 3 to 6 times more effective. (ICANZ :: Inulation Handbook and its Contents (http://www.icanz.org.au/handbook/handbookpart1section1/) ).

We typically use the Anticon Building Blanket and Foil (55 or 75mm anitcon) in most roofing applications and they perform brilliantly.

Some of AirCell non-"air" type products are good though, such as their ThermalBreak80 which can be used effectively as a thermal break on metal corry clad homes etc.