Various materials are used in the construction industry to insulate the building and increase its energy efficiency. One of these materials is Aluminum plates for wall insulation. Although you can purchase pure aluminum sheets for insulating your home or office building, other materials also contain aluminum in their structure.
Some homeowners prefer to use a basic radiant barrier that functions properly with one layer of aluminum plates. However, if you want perfect aluminum plates for wall insulation, it is better to buy aluminum cladding systems that have more layers. One of these building materials that can be used as wall insulators is the Aluminum Composite Panel.
Before knowing why using aluminum plates for insulation is a good choice, you need to know what these metal panels are.
What are Aluminum Plates?
Aluminum plates are industrial materials that manufacturers produce by pressing and rolling raw-form aluminum into panel form under particular and high pressure.
Manufacturers make aluminum plates for wall insulation systems with a lower gauge to be lightweight, resulting in a more straightforward installation process. Although aluminum plates are light, they are sturdy enough to be used as the cladding systems of your home or office building.
One of the reasons that most contractors recommend using aluminum plates for insulation is that they feature an additional coating that makes the material more long-lasting in challenging weather conditions while protecting the interiors. Even the traditional aluminum siding with an extra layer can be a perfect wall insulator.
Types of Aluminum Plates for Wall Insulation
The surface dimensions and gauge (thickness) of the aluminum plates are the factors you need to consider when looking at the available options in Canada. However, there are some standard aluminum plates for wall insulation applications which are:
- Perforated Panels
- Chequered Aluminum Plates
- Anodized Aluminum Panels
- ACM Panels
- Brushed Aluminum Plates
Why Using Aluminum Plates for Wall Insulation is Recommended?
Now that you know you can utilize aluminum plates for wall insulation, you should also understand how they insulate your building cladding system. Here are the primary characteristics of aluminum sheets that make them one of the best wall insulators.
Basic Heat Transfer Rules of Aluminum Plates
Heat is a measure of the energy that transfers through materials in three ways which are:
- Conduction
- Convection
- Radiation
You can use aluminum pates for wall insulation because the primary heat transfer of these materials is more efficient than other construction systems.
Conduction happens in materials when thermal energy is transferred through them. This happens faster in solid materials since the atoms are closer to each other.
Convection happens with gas and liquid expansion. So, convection does not happen to aluminum plate insulators.
Radiation heat is transferred through space and air and heats the surface of a material. So, if a material reflects the sunlight, which is heat in the form of radiation, it can be a good insulation system.
Aluminum Plates that are Used in Insulating Wall Systems Absorb Radiant Energy
Some of the construction materials absorb sunlight more than others. Shiny materials such as aluminum plates reflect a lot of heat, while traditional materials, including wood and concrete, absorb considerable heat energy. This means aluminum sheets get warm slowly when exposed to radiation.
Aluminum Sheets Re-Radiant or Emit
Every material that absorbs heat energy will give it off again; for instance, you can stand near a cladding system made from brick baked in the midday sun, and you will feel the radiating heat from its surface.
Some materials radiate heat better, and others reflect it better. This physical property of being an energy radiator is known as emissivity, and it has a value between 0 to 1.
Some of the traditional metal cladding systems, such as iron and steel, are considered good emitters. The emissivity number is around 0.5. Aluminum plates have an emissivity of approximately 0.04, which means they radiate a small amount of heat away from their surface.
So, builders can use aluminum plates for wall insulation since they do not radiate heat out into the environment. This characteristic of aluminum sheets and panels makes them practical for the cladding systems and roofing. Additionally, aluminum is widely used in HVAP applications due to its insulating properties.
