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ASTM C-236 Testing
for an “R” rating.
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Test Review
We have discovered that having an “R” rating means the material absorbs heat and is a measure of how long it can absorb and hold heat before it can migrate through it. The various ceramic compounds contained in SUPER THERM do not absorb heat but in fact repel heat in a manner similar to reflection.
In the effort to answer the question of how do we measure up to an “R” rated material as in fiberglass, we took on the ASTM C-236 ((C236-89(1993)e1 Standard Test Method for Steady-State Thermal Performance of Building Assemblies by Means of a Guarded Hot Box)) testing for measuring R-values. The resistance from other engineering groups was that a known and accepted ASTM test had not been performed to compare the “R” values.
This test specifies a 3” fiberglass board be used as the control panel and tested. Then the board is tested with one coat of SUPER THERM applied to one side. Another board is tested with a coat on each side of the board.
The control board of the same 3” of fiberglass was tested and gave a .52** numerical value.
The board with one coat of SUPER THERM was tested and gave a .31** numerical value.
The board with two sides coated with the SUPER THERM gave a .21** numerical value.
** These are exact numbers for BTU heat conduction per sq. ft. / hour / F.
The lower the number the better – to note the importance.
Our personnel discovered a note of importance when working with the labs to do the testing and comparison against the fiberglass. First, all fiberglass testing must be performed at 75 degrees F. Why, because this is the optimum temperature that the fiberglass can test and give the best results. When asked why this is the situation, it was stated that if the temperature drops below or rises above 75 degrees F, the fiberglass will suddenly drop in heat conductance value and therefore drop in it’s R value very quickly. This seems very odd that an entire industry would accept such a material that only works best at one level of temperature and then base all the insulation requirements on a temperature level that is rarely achieved on any constant basis.
This gives a different meaning to the numbers reported on the test results. When SUPER THERM improved the performance of the fiberglass by 68% with only one coat, this was at the 75 degree F level. SUPER THERM has performed worldwide at all temperature levels from -60 F up to 120 F and given the same insulation values (see reports and testing results in notebook). According to the labs (VTEC and NATIONAL CERTIFIED TESTING LABORATORIES (NCTL)), the percentage of improvement in R value when SUPER THERM is coated over the fiberglass above and below the 75 degree F level will increase dramatically to give SUPER THERM, as a single insulation film, the comparison of a minimum of R19 as tested in the BTU conductance testing with another national lab and the field studies.
SUPER THERM reduced BTU heat conduction from 367.20 BTU/sq.ft./hour/F down to 3.99 BTU/sq.ft./hour/F in the ASTM E1269 Specific Heat and ASTM E1461-92 Thermal Diffusivity and conductance testing.
This result is written as being the same for metal or concrete surfaces, which is to say any substrate.
The 3” fiberglass is rated at 3.846 R-value per inch for high-density fiberglass used in test labs requiring minimum thickness for performing tests in Hot Box testing. Therefore, 3” would be R 11.5. Normal density fiberglass used in the insulation industry is not rated 3.846 R-value per inch nor having a .52 conductance value. It is much less effective for R-value and therefore requiring 8” – 10” thickness to achieve the R19 rating. Also, the moisture content of normal industry fiberglass cannot have more than 1 ½% moisture in the material to test at its reported R-value. Above 1 ½% moisture content and the reported R value will immediately reduce by 35% as tested by industry results (Innovative Insulation, Inc. magazine report). This would mean that the fiberglass on the shelves at Home Depot or others would have a minimum of 1 ½% moisture and more already in the material before you purchased the material meaning it would not be more than R 12 if it was a reported R19 stamped on the packing. Here again, SUPERTHERM’s insulation ability is not affected by moisture in any form once cured to reduce it’s effectiveness as shown in the testing and field studies (see reports).
Based on the high density fiberglass board and figuring the math on a linear* basis:
One
side coated with SUPER THERM being .31 is 1.68 improvement and applied
to R 11.5 X 1.68 = R19.3
(possible combination result compounding to R 30).
Two side coated with SUPER THERM being
.21 is 2.47 improvement and applied to R 11.5 X 2.47 = R28.5
(possible combination
result compounding to R 45).
Why is this so effective when coating both sides? When both sides of a substrate are coated with SUPER THERM, the ceramic blend will stabilize the substrate itself so that it cannot absorb heat from either side to stabilize it and cause the substrate material to act as part of the insulation effort.
* The results are greater than the linear result as insulation is a compounding value and not just linear. The migration of heat and the blocking of the heat flow through resistant materials is a compounding formula, but for now the linear math will give you the minimum of what can be expected.
Another note needs to be realized at this point. The reflective driven ceramic compounds in the SUPER THERM have only been marginally used in this test at only 75 degrees F. When the heat climbs to higher levels is when the IR and reflective ceramic compounds tend to kick in to provide even better results. SUPER THERM is loaded with four different ceramic compounds that work on all “windows of heat and light spectrum”. The understanding that heat comes in several different forms is the reason SUPER THERM is designed with a very unique blend of ceramic compounds that can react to each heat source.
VTEC labs in New York made the applications on the test panels. NATIONAL CERTIFIED TESTING LABORATORIES in Pennsylvania certified by ASTM did the ASTM Testing. This testing was asked for by Bombardier in Mexico City for Train Cars to find a better material than fiberglass to use for insulation on their train cars.
Now, this has been done and we show to be the R value that we have always stated in our literature from the compound formula results. This test was performed for the specific reason to prove that the SUPER THERM is an insulation material used in the building and construction industry.