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PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS

Special note: The abbreviated terms RI (Reflective Insulation ), RBI ( Reflective Bubble Insulation )
and RFI ( Reflective Foil Insulation ) are interchangeable. They represent the most common layman's terms
to describe a Reflective Insulation product. The abbreviated term RB is commonly used to describe
(Radiant Barriers). See below for additional information.

Our Reflective Insulation (RI, RBI & RFI) products are referred to as
BTUFOIL™ Reflective Insulation.

BTUFOIL™ Reflective Insulation is a layer of polyethylene bubbles sandwiched between two highly
reflective radiant barriers. It is ideal for residential and commercial building applications, including walls,
roofs and ceilings, especially Cathedral Ceiling applications. Adding BTUFOIL™ to an existing
insulation system will improve the overall thermal performance of the building envelope, and in turn
improve interior comfort levels & ENERGY $AVING$ !

REFLECTIVE INSULATION (RI), REFLECTIVE FOIL INSULATION (RFI),
REFLECTIVE BUBBLE INSULATION (RBI)

Different types of insulation products reduce the heat transferred by radiation, conduction, and convection to varying
degrees. As a result, each provides different thermal performance and corresponding R values. ( Learn more about how
heat transfers )

The primary function of reflective insulation is to reduce radiant heat transfer across open spaces, which is a
significant contributor to heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.

The low emittance metal foil (usually aluminum) surface of the product blocks up to 97% of the radiation and therefore a
significant part of the heat transfer.

There are many types of materials that reduce heat gain and heat loss. Some materials provide greater resistance than
others, depending on the mode of heat transfer: convection, conduction, or radiation. Most insulation materials work on
the principle of trapped air gas being a good insulator. Mass insulation like fiberglass, foam, and cellulose use layers of
glass fibers, plastic, and wood fiber respectively to reduce convection thereby decreasing the transfer of heat. These
materials also reduce heat transfer by conduction due to the presence of trapped air. (However, these products, like
most building materials, have very high radiant transfer rates.) Heat flow by radiation has been brought to the public's
attention with high efficiency windows which commonly use the term Low E to advertise the higher performance ratings.
This value is measured in emittance or E values ranging from 0 to 1 (lower E value indicates better performance). Most
building materials, including fiberglass, foam and cellulose have E values in excess of 0.70. Reflective insulation typically
have E values of 0.03 (again, the lower the better).

Therefore, reflective insulation is immensely superior to other types of insulating materials in reducing heat flow by radiation, and because of this, conduction and convection transfer is also greatly reduced.

The term reflective, in reflective insulation, is in some ways a misnomer because aluminum either works by reflecting
heat (reflectance of 0.97) or by not absorbing & radiating heat (emittance of 0.03). Whether stated as reflectivity or
emissivity, the performance (heat transfer) is the same.

When reflective insulation is installed in building cavities, it traps air
(like other insulation materials) and therefore reduces heat flow by convection thus
addressing all three modes of heat transfer.

In all cases, the reflective material must be adjacent to an air space. Aluminum, when sandwiched between two pieces of
plywood for example, will conduct heat at a high rate.

Reflective Insulation System (RFIS )

A reflective insulation system is typically formed by layers of aluminum or a low emittance material and enclosed air
spaces which in turn provide highly reflective or low emittance cavities adjacent to a heated region. Some reflective
insulation systems also use other layers of materials such as paper or plastic to form additional enclosed air spaces.
The performance of the system is determined by the emittance of the material(s), the lower the better, and the size of the
enclosed air spaces. The smaller the air space, the less heat will transfer by convection. Therefore, to lessen heat flow
by convection, a reflective insulation, with its multiple layers of aluminum and enclosed air space, is positioned in a
building cavity (stud wall, furred-out masonry wall, floor joist, ceiling joist, etc.) to divide the larger cavity (3/4 furring, 2 x 4,
2 x 6, etc.) into smaller air spaces. These smaller trapped air spaces reduce convective heat flow. Like other insulation,
reflective insulation is labeled with R-values which provide a measure of thermal performance.

Reflective insulation differs from conventional mass insulation in the following:

1. Reflective insulation has very low emittance values E-values (typically 0.03 compared to 0.90 for most insulation) thus significantly reduces heat transfer by radiation;

2. A reflective insulation does not have significant mass to absorb and retain heat;

3. Reflective insulation has lower moisture transfer and absorption rates, in most cases;

4. Reflective insulation traps air with layers of aluminum, paper and/or plastic as opposed to mass insulation which uses fibers of glass, particles of foam, or ground up paper;

5. Reflective insulation does not irritate the skin, eyes, or throat and contain no substances which will out-gas;

6. The change in thermal performance due to compaction or moisture absorption, a common concern with mass insulation, is not an issue with reflective insulation.

RADIANT BARRIER
Our Radiant Barrier (RB) products are referred to as
BTUBUSTERS ™ Radiant Barrier.

BTUBUSTERS ^tm Radiant Barrier for Attics is a perforated sheet made up of a single layer of
woven polyethylene bonded to - and sandwiched between - two highly reflective radiant barrier
sheets.

BTUBUSTERS ^tm Radiant Barrier helps reduce air conditioning costs in the summer, while
reducing heating costs in the winter. In addition to energy savings, a radiant barrier can significantly
enhance a home’s level of comfort.

A radiant barrier is a reflective / low-emittance surface, on or near a building component, that intercepts the flow of radiant
energy to and from the building component. Radiant Barriers typically reflect 96% - 97% of the Radiant Heat Transfer. It
is, as the name suggests, it is a barrier to radiant heat movement, ( Learn more about Radiant Heat ) the same as a
vapor barrier blocks water vapor migration and an air barrier stops air flow.

A radiant barrier can be aluminum foil laminate, aluminized plastic film or a low emittance coating. The only requirement
is that its surface must have low emittance and high reflectivity in the infrared band of the spectrum.

The aluminum foil shields that are commonly inserted behind radiators in older houses are radiant barriers, blocking
radiant heat transfer from the radiator to the exterior wall. The invisible glass coating in low-E windows is also a radiant
barrier.

It should be clearly understood that although a radiant barrier reduces heat loss and gain through the building envelope, it
is not an insulation material per se and has no inherent R-value.

RADIANT BARRIER SYSTEM ( RBIS )

A radiant barrier system (RBS) is a building section that includes a radiant barrier facing an air space. An attic with a
radiant barrier on top of the mass insulation on the floor, or under the roof is an RBS. A vent skin wall with a radiant
barrier facing the vented air space is also an RBS.

The distinction between a radiant barrier material and radiant barrier system is not merely academic. In an attic, the
effectiveness of a radiant barrier is significantly affected by the amount of attic ventilation. A vented attic with a radiant
barrier is a very different system from an unvented attic with the same radiant barrier.

TECHNICAL NOTE:

The generally accepted definition of a radiant barrier system specifies that the reflective material face an open air space.

The idea is that a radiant barrier facing an enclosed air space is a reflective insulation with a measurable R- value.

Source RIMA - Handbook3.doc

Learn more about ( RFIS ) / Reflective Foil Insulation Systems,
( RBIS ) Radiant Barrier Insulation Systems
Basic Principals of Insulation

Foil Physics