Thin reflective insulation: advantages and disadvantages

When it comes to comfort and preserving property, thermal insulation is the sinews of war: effective insulation keeps indoor temperatures under control and saves energy in the long term.

With the increasing number of heatwaves due to global warming, it is becoming ever more urgent to find affordable thermal insulation solutions to keep buildings cool inside.

Reflective insulation is a very attractive option for keeping your offices and industrial premises at a bearable ambient temperature, thereby preserving the comfort of people, goods, equipment and the environment.

There are many types of reflective insulation that can provide an effective solution. In this article, we present several of them: so-called "thin reflective insulation" or "multi-layer insulation", and cool roof reflective paint.

Read also: Insulating paint: everything you need to know

Contents

• What is thin reflective insulation?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of multi-layer insulation?

What is thin reflective insulation?

Wool, concrete, hemp... most buildings already havethermalinsulation. However, they may prove more or less resistant to time, wear and tear, or if not properly installed.Replacing allyourroofinsulation is a costly proposition. That's why adding additional thin reflective insulation can optimize the insulation system without the need for major work.

Thin reflective insulation comes in different forms:

It can take the form of insulating material such as mineral wool or plastic foam, wrapped in reflective aluminum foil.

It can be made of aluminum foil only.

Thin reflective insulations have a thermal resistance of between 0.1 and 2 m².K/W . This additional insulation is installed inside the building, and is often used to insulate attics, floors, under-roof screens or garage doors.

There are several names for this type of insulation:

Thin reflective product (PMR)
Multi-layer insulation
Heat-reflective insulation

Reflects the sun's rays, reducing heat build-up in the building in summer.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of multi-layer insulation?

Advantages of thin reflective insulation

Installing thin, heat-reflective insulation has many advantages:

Quick installation: Thin reflective insulation is generally supplied in sheet or roll form, making it easy to cut and adapt to different surface shapes and sizes.

Resistant: This type of insulation is non-toxic and does not require special handling precautions.

Space-saving : a thin reflective product is, by definition, thinner than conventional insulation.

Durability: Thin reflective insulation is generally resistant and can last for many years without losing its effectiveness.

Improves comfort :Thin reflective insulations can help maintain a comfortable temperature in the space they insulate.Installed in offices or professional buildings, they therefore help preserve theworking environment and, in so doing, help maintain motivation and productivity.

Lowerenergy bills: by preventing heat from penetrating a building, reflective insulation helps limit energy consumption, particularly air conditioning.

💡 A ll our advice on how to insulate your roof properly

The disadvantages of thin reflective insulation

Thin heat-reflective insulation has many advantages and seems to be an interesting option for optimizing a building's thermal comfort, but it can't replace traditional insulation.

Limited insulating capacity: although thinreflectiveinsulationhas an excellentcapacity to reflect heat, it generally has a lower thermal insulation capacity than insulation based on wood wool, absorbent cotton or polyurethane foam.

Low resistance to humidity: thin reflective insulations generally have low resistance to humidity compared with other types of insulation, making them less suitable for use in environments where humiditylevelscan rise.

Multi-layer insulations can therefore be very effective complements, but are not thick enough to act as insulation on their own.

The various advantages of the cool roof solution

Have you heard of the cool roof? You may be familiar with the term, especially if you've ever traveled to the USA. Cool roofing involves applying one or more coats of white reflective paint, the properties of which allow the sun's rays to be reflected back into the atmosphere as they reach the roof, thus preserving the interior temperature.

This solution is just as practical as thin reflective insulation, and offers excellent insulation properties.

🌎It 's an effective way of adapting our buildings to global warming, and at a much more reasonable cost than other alternatives. Focus on the individual and collective benefits of this forward-looking technology.

1. The 1st advantage of opting for a cool roof solution: reduce your energy bills by up to 40%.

One thing's for sure: insulating any building will help you save energy. The cool roof has a direct impact on energy bills. Thanks to its insulating action on the roof, the applied paint reflects the sun's rays and prevents heat from entering, reducing your need forenergy-hungry air conditioning.

💡Thecool roof cansave up to 40% on electricity.

With an effective cool roof reflective coating and a well executed installation by an expert roof insulation team , indoor temperatures can be reduced by up to 10 degrees inside the building. Installing a reflective roof can therefore result in substantial electricity savings.



If you don't have an air-conditioning system and are thinking of installing one, don't forget that thecost of acquisition, installation, electricity and maintenance all add up to .

2. Extend your roof's lifespan

The second advantage of installing cool roof insulation on your roof is that it extendsthe roof's life expectancy. A conventional roof without an additional coating is exposed to all kinds of aggressions: bad weather, overheating due to solar radiation, falling leaves and other natural debris... Cool roof paint provides a protective layer that shields the roof from contact and direct or ambient humidity. The result is clear: the roof's lifespan is extended by an average of a decade.

3. Improving employee well-being and efficiency

The third benefit of the cool roof is that controlling the temperature inside the building not only keeps people comfortable, but also enhances their ability to concentrate and work efficiently. In fact, this reflective solution makes it possible to save between 6 and 10 degrees Celsius on average inside the building.

What is the impact on employee productivity? Temperature, like brightness and noise levels, is an integral part of an employee's working environment. Working in a professional environment degraded by poor conditions can have negative consequences on productivity, but also on health.

Conversely, working in an environment that remains qualitative during periods of intense heat helps to maintain productivity and increase the involvement of employees, who find that their health and comfort are at the heart of their company's priorities.

When it comes to business, the cool roof appears to support productivity and involvement at work.

4. Protecting equipment and goods

Whether it's a factory, a data center,a shopping mall or offices, the equipment in a building often represents a colossal investment for a company.This equipment deteriorates when thetemperature is too high, and can even break down and jeopardize the business.

Computer equipment, for example, is sensitive to temperature changes. However, all equipment that runs on electricity tends to heat up, increasing the inside temperature even more when it's hot, which can often lead to degradation. It's a vicious circle, and a cost that many companies still fail to take into account.

In addition, some business buildings contain goods, some of which are perishable. Here again, interior temperature can play a major role in business performance. In fact, a poorly insulated building, which accumulates heat, cannot store goods (perishable and non-perishable) in optimal conditions.


By effectively reflecting the sun's rays across the entire surface of the roof, cool roof reflective paint can save up to 10 degrees indoors, thus preserving the integrity of equipment and goods stored in the building.

5. Reflect the sun onto the roof to help the environment

Fifth reason to use a cool roof solution: air conditioning is recognized as one of the main factors aggravating global warming. The cool roof solutionmakes it possible to reduce the use of air conditioning in the long term.This solutiontherefore represents amajor ecological effort , and companies in the private sector are aware of their responsibility to protect the environment.

With the right materials, the right products and expert installation, it's even possible to dispense with air-conditioning on your premises! The application of cool roof paint is more economical than the acquisition of air conditioners, which require maintenance and generate high electricity bills.

6. Add insulation to improve roof impermeability

When it comes to a building's thermal performance, water infiltration, leaks and blisters are its main enemy.

💧A poorly waterproofed roof absorbs water, which can overload it, causing cracks, degrading the overall condition of the building and even the quality of the air we breathe.

In addition to extending the roof's lifespan, the cool roof also makes the roof completelywaterproof.With a cool roof, there are no more cracks in the roof to cause water damage.

7. Which is better: cool roof or thermo-reflective insulation?

Thin reflective insulation, like cool roof paint, are two complementary solutions to traditional thermal insulation, and help reduce interior temperatures when the sun is beating down on the roof.

These two solutions are therefore an excellent alternative to air-conditioning, and offer substantial energy savings. However, both must be installed by roof insulation professionals. In the case of cool roof paint, energy savings can be as high as 40% 🔆.

Thin reflective insulation has a less well-known insulating capacity than cool roof paint. The latter, on the other hand, can save up to 10 degrees indoors. Cool roof paint is also much more resistant to humidity, and can extend roof life by up to 10 years.

To find out more :

• How to insulate an industrial building?
• Insulating a flat roof with an EPDM membrane: how do I go about it?
  
  
• Steel roofing: choosing the right insulation method
  
  
• Sheet metal roof insulation: suitable methods
  
  
• Ecological insulation solutions and their effectiveness
  
  
• 2 solutions for cooling a room under the roof
  
• Roof insulation: selecting the right insulator