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Home / Articles / Top Design Elements to Keep Your Metal Building’s Interior Cool
top-design-elements-to-keep-your-metal-buildings-interior-cool
25Sep 2019Metal Buildings

Top Design Elements to Keep Your Metal Building’s Interior Cool

top-design-elements-to-keep-your-metal-buildings-interior-cool

Steel Buildings have a diverse list of applications, from garages and storage facilities to residential and commercial uses. Long gone are the days when metal structures were used exclusively for sheltering things. People now live in these buildings or, at least, spend a significant time working in them. However, metals are good conductors. They will quickly heat up in summer and freeze during winter, making conditions very intolerable. The good news is that we have multiple ways of regulating the temperature inside a prefab steel building to make it comfortable. Read on to find out why regulating the temperature in a metal building is essential, and how you can achieve a perfectly cool interior sustainably.

Heat-Related Problems in Metal Buildings

Overheating in metal buildings makes it difficult to work or live inside, and doesn’t do the stored items any good either. High temperatures in your steel building could cause problems such as:

  • Things that should stay moist dry up
  • Pieces of machinery might overheat and stop working or cause a spike in maintenance costs
  • Items with a lesser melting point are bound to lose their shape
  • Energy bills will go up

How to Keep Your Metal Building’s Interior Cool

Proper Insulation

Metal building insulation is vital for interior temperature regulation, avoiding condensation, and reducing external noises. Each insulation type has a unique R-value, which represents its thermal resistance. A high R-value translates to better insulation properties. Here are your options.

Loose-fill

Loose pellets and fibers are blown into the walls to fill spaces in the corners and reduce chances of any leakage. Their R-value is between four and three. This insulation type is also fire-resistant.

Bubble Insulation

Polyethylene bubble wrap roll is a newer and excellent insulation option. It has a double layer that functions well as a thermal barrier and also cuts off condensation. Bubble insulation has the highest R-value and is arguably the most suitable insulation option for metal buildings.

Batt Insulation

This material is made from processed fiberglass, mineral fibers, or rock wool. It is a very economical option and can fit between the framing of the house to insulate walls, floors, attics, and ceilings. Some versions even come with a radiant barrier backing, which is excellent for metal buildings. They have an R-value of 3 per inch.

Rigid Board Insulation

Rigid board insulation is the best choice for insulating a flat roof. It can be cut to a specific thickness as it is made of materials like fiberglass, polystyrene or polyurethane. Its insulating ability ranges between R4 and R8.

Foam Spray

This liquid spray comprises of polyurethane or some other polymer. It is perfect for insulating spaces that are not even. It expands on contact with the surface and starts turning into a solid air-filled cellular layer immediately. The R-value on this one is about 6 for every inch.

Install Proper Ventilation

Once you have done the proper insulation, you need an effective ventilation system. The ventilation system will vary depending on your building’s purpose. For instance, with a residential building, you only need to vent out the heat and smoke from cooking. Therefore, a door, window, louver or cupola would suffice. On the other hand, commercial buildings have more people as well as machines that probably produce a lot of heat and smoke. Exhaust fan systems might be necessary to channel out hot air.

Use Light-Colored Roof Panels

You’ll be surprised how much an attribute as often overlooked as color contributes to your metal building’s temperature regulation. A Light-colored paint acts as a reflective layer that sends back most of the sunlight falling on its surface. It absorbs the least amount of heat and causes minimum temperature buildup, unlike the darker colors that will absorb more heat and cause high temperatures inside the Metal Building. The effect of colors is especially significant on exterior surfaces.

Use Landscaping to Your Advantage

Vegetation is the best natural air regulation system. Trees and shrubs cool the structure’s exterior naturally, which reduces the temperature gradient and thus the heat loss from inside your building. They can keep the surrounding temperature cooler by up to 10 degrees. You especially want vegetative cover on the west- and south-facing walls as they are the ones that get heated the most.

Buy Quality Metal Buildings at Coast to Coast Carports

Coast to Coast Carports is highly sought after for a good reason - our metal buildings kits are not only durable and affordable but also astoundingly energy-efficient. They include a variety of insulation and ventilation options that help maintain reasonable mercury levels, even when environmental temperatures hit the extremes. We have multiple options that will give your steel building a great look as well as the much-needed insulation to make it suitable for living or storage. The sustainability of our metal building Insulations is reflected by a 20-year warranty.

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