A Good Metal Building Insulation will have the following 8 benefits/features:

1. High R value (thermal break)
2. Eliminate condensation
3. Radiant heat barrier
4. Not be affected by humidity
5. Vapor barrier
6. Install easily
7. Not allow nesting for rodents, birds or bugs
8. Recognized by ICCES and Qualified by Energy Star   

Metal buildings, steel buildings, quonset huts and pole barns,  are uniquely affected by: 1. Condensation, 2. Radiant Heat, and 3. Cold. Your metal building insulation options are limited to insulations that address at least these three. Properly insulating a building requires an insulation with high thermal resistance (R value),  radiant heat barrier and vapor barrier. 

Prodex Total Insulation is the only insulation in this comparison that addresses all 8 items above. A complete metal building insulation system is achieved with Prodex Total Insulation. Prodex is reflective building insulation.

Fiberglass is NOT the recommeded  "insulation for metal buildings" or pole barns. Adding traditional fiberglass batt insulation to slow the loss of inside heat from a metal building creates a problem. Instead of warm air rising and striking the metal walls and roof directly causing condensation and dripping, the insulation will make the air cool more gradually. The warm, moist indoor air will cool and reach the dewpoint either somewhere inside the insulation or when it reaches the roof or siding trapping moisture. Moisture trapped within the insulation will cause its R-value and effectiveness to drop dramatically as water is a very good conductor of heat. Even though the metal in a quality steel building will be treated, water trapped between the insulation and the building exterior will, over time, cause rust, oxidation, mold and fungus growth - conditions that will degrade the steel walls and shorten the service life of the building. Condensation can also result in ruined crops or bacterial growth.

A vapor barrier installed on the warm side of the insulation will act as a physical shield to repel moisture, keeping it inside in the form of water vapor. A building vapor barrier like aluminum foil will slow the movement of water vapor. Air infiltration through the building exterior in humid areas will also allow some moisture in below the roof decking and into the insulation. As any amount of moisture seriously degrades the insulation capabilities of fiberglass batt insulation, fiberglass is not recommended for use in steel buildings in humid areas. Prodex Total Insulation is recommended instead because it insulates totally: Eliminates condensation, cools the building in summer, it's thermal insulation for the winter and creates a vapor barrier that protects the building.

Ever wonder why it's so hot inside a metal building in the summer? It's the radiant heat. You can insulate against radiant heat! Traditional fiberglass insulation has no effect on radiant heat transfer. Estimates are between 80 and 90% of the radiant heat striking fiberglass will pass right through it. Metal pole barn insulation (Prodex), which can reflect up to 97% of the radiant energy that strikes it, has proven to be an outstanding radiant heat barrier.

Disadvantages of Fiberglass insulation

• Does not stop radiant heat transfer. The primary source of heat-flow in and out of your structure.
• Potential health risks such as lung damage
• Batts do not seal wall and ceiling cavities tightly
  Need an additional vapor barrier to protect it from moisture
• Can settle resulting in a decline in effectiveness
• Compressing the insulation reduces its effectiveness
  Resistance to heat transfer drops dramatically when wet
• Moisture buildup between the fiberglass and the building exterior cannot evaporate and causes mold, mildew and decay

Don't include fiberglass insulation as part of your metal building insulation materials

Prodex was named "Best Insulation", Metal Building Category. RIMA EE.UU

Steel building insulation system requires a vapor barrier, thermal break, and radiant heat barrier. The metal skin causes sweating (condensation), unbearable heat in summer and frigid temperatures in winter. Prodex serves a true vapor barrier and condensation eliminator, a high r-value (thermal break) and number one performing radiant heat barrier. Radiant heat makes a metal building unbearable in the summer.

Prodex Total Insulation is superior to fiberglass batt in metal buildings and pole barns because it is unaffected by humidity or water, it doesn't mildew or promote fungus growth and it adds a radiant barrier to keep the building cool in the summer. It is also much easier and less expensive to install.
Prodex Total Insulation is superior to double bubble insulation in metal buildings because the heat of the metal skin doesn't cause its polyethylene micro-bubbles to collapse. Because of its high R value in roof applications, it is by far the best metal roof insulation available. 

Why use a Reflective Building Insulation?

All new buildings should incorporate a reflective building insulation as part of the insulation system, especially metal buildings. The concept is simple: each unit of radiant heat energy that is reflected away from your building in summer, and each unit reflected back in during winter, means less operation of your heating and air conditioning systems, less wear and tear on your equipment, and less money you pay in utility costs. Building insulation materials should incorporate a reflective barrier.

Heat transfer will occur across any barrier when there is a marked heat gradient between two discernible areas. Hot air will naturally try to fill a cooler space and essentially "push out" the cooler air. Consequently, any area that is artificially cooled or heated will inevitably revert back to equilibrium with the space around it if left free to do so.

Metal building insulation will not eliminate this process completely, but it will slow it to the point that the issue will cease to be detrimental to the operation of the building. When considering a large industrial complex that is heated or cooled by large climate control systems, the benefits of limiting the amount of work done by the HVAC system are apparent. The better the insulation, the less the equipment will work and the lower the energy costs will be.

Metal Frame versus Wood Frame Construction

The primary differences in insulation installation are between wood-frame (pole barn) and metal-frame buildings (steel building). When you insulate a metal-framed building, it is important to recognize that much more heat flows through metal studs and joists than through wood. Because of this difference, placing insulation between the wall studs, or between attic or floor joists, doesn't work as well for metal-framed buildings as it does for wood-framed buildings.

For metal frame walls, you will need to place an insulation sheet over the outside of the wall frame, between the metal framing pieces and your exterior siding similar to whole house wrap. If you're doing a metal building insulation retrofit, attach insulation to the underside of your framing. R-Value, or Resistance, is the measure of a material's ability to stop heat flow.

Insulation Challenges in Metal Buildings

Metal buildings have unique challenges that properly installed building insulation can address. The benefits of metal building insulation include:

Heat flow control

Unfortunately, like most metals, steel is a very good conductor of heat. In hot weather, steel framing and sheeting rapidly transfer the sun's heat into a building, and in cold weather they rapidly transfer heat out. Building insulation acts as a barrier to slow down the movement of heat, keeping it inside the building in winter and outside the building in summer. By controlling the rate of heat transfer through the building, insulation reduces energy consumption, resulting in lower fuel bills and a cleaner environment.

Noise control

Metal building insulation greatly reduces the level of both exterior and interior noise. Prodex Total Insulation has 19 db sound proofing.

Increased lighting efficiency

Metal building insulation is frequently installed with surfaces that are visible from the inside. Reflective building insulation provides a bright, attractive wall and ceiling treatment that acts as a reflector to increase lighting efficiency. Aluminum foil reflects light, making it easier to illuminate the building interior. Installing Prodex Total Insulation makes it even easier to illuminate the building interior as its surface reflects light very efficiently. In addition to light reflectivity, a reflective surface can provide an aesthetic appearance. A nice example of an easy-to-install reflective insulation is Prodex Total Fast Action. Using a multipurpose product like this combines thermal barrier, radiant barrier, and vapor barrier in one making it ideal for either commercial or residential applications alone or in conjunction with other insulations.

Condensation prevention

Condensation can be a more significant problem in a metal building than temperature control. Moisture from rain, groundwater, humidity and human activity like washing, cooking and breathing creates the potential for several problems in metal buildings. First, the presence of water or ice in the insulation seriously degrades both the thermal performance and service life of fiberglass, paper, wool and other traditional insulation materials. Second, water in contact with metals contributes to corrosion and lowers the service life of the building. Third, collection of water can lead to dripping, staining, mold, mildew and odors.

All of these problems can be solved with a properly installed metal building insulation system. A good metal building insulation system will have a vapor barrier. Even in only moderately humid climates, condensation can cause serious problems in an unprotected metal building. To avoid this problem, adequately ventilate the building and install a vapor barrier even if you do not plan to insulate.

Use reflective building insulation - it will never get wet and have to be replaced like fiberglass batts. Reflective insulation acts as a vapor barrier or vapor retarder by limiting the passage of water vapor thereby preventing condensation within the insulation or on the interior surfaces of the building. 

Click to see our recommended steel building insulation products.