|
|
| Q. |
Can I install SILVERLINE Insulation myself? |
A. |
Yes. Silverline Radiant Barrier Insulation can be easily delivered to your door, sometimes by post. Silverline supplies a D.I.Y instruction sheet. |
Q. |
Does dust neutralise SILVERLINE? |
| A. |
No. Dust does not neutralise any insulation. Furthermore, Silverline Radiant Barrier foils do not rely on reflection, so when the foil is correctly installed dust and dirt has very little detrimental effect . Numerous tests have been conducted to demonstrate this. |
| Q. |
Can tradesmen i.e. electricians walk over SILVERLINE Radiant Barrier insulation once installed? |
| A. |
Yes, providing tradesmen walk on the ceiling joists and exercise a little care, no damage will be done even if severely crumpled. (Silverline Radiant Barrier Insulation still stops 97% of radiant heat). If however damage does occur, Silverline has a free fix-up service, just call us (conditions do apply.) |
| Q. |
Do all joints have to be taped? |
A. |
No, a 50mm overlap is more than adequate. |
| Q. |
Can Silverline Radiant Barrier Insulation be placed over traditional insulation? |
A. |
Yes, Silverline Insulation will raise the performance
of traditional insulation.
Silverline
Radiant Barrier
Insulation will also prevent traditional insulation
from heating up therefore
preventing hot, early evenings caused by stored heat. |
| Q. |
Does SILVERLINE Insulation comply with
Australian
Fire Standards? |
A. |
Yes, Silverline Insulation is made primarily from pure aluminium and complies with A.S. 1530.3 -1989 & A.S. 1530.2 - 1993 - best possible results rating 0.0.0.0. |
| Q. |
Where do I install SILVERLINE Insulation? (Underside of rafters or down on ceiling joists?) |
A. |
Although you may choose to put Silverline Insulation on the underside of rafters, SILVERLINE recommends you place Silverline Insulation on the top of ceiling joists.
The reason for this is simple:
I. Less material used.
2.You achieve the best winter time and summer results by installing on the top of the ceiling joists.
|
| Q. |
Does SILVERLINE Insulation keep you warm in winter? |
A. |
Yes, Silverline uses the same technology as the space blankets used by the emergency services officers to keep patients from getting cold.
Silverline Insulation stops 97% of radiant heat therefore acts the same as a thermos flask, stopping heat transfer in and out.
Silverline can be layed over the top to increase the performance of traditional bulk insulation. |
| Q. |
Does SILVERLINE have a Calculated or total R Value? |
A. |
Yes. The calculated or total R value is an extremely complex subject.
Silverline has calculations done by very highly qualified engineers to determine the total R value of many building scenarios. All of which comply with the new building code. R 3.9 is very common but higher R values are available if required.
If you are considering traditional bulk or mass insulation, having a high R value is not always desirable, particularly in very hot climates. Please contact Silverline for further information. |
| Q. |
Has SILVERLINE 0007 been tested by the CSIRO? |
A. |
Yes, Tested to the Australian Standards AS1530.2-1993 Report FNF983 Tested 7 March 1994 issued on 4 th day of April 1994, Testing Officer, Z. Trojko & R J Dayeh for Reseach Manager Fire Technology. Certificate Number N94/0077:NFBBNF1676. AS1530.3-1989 Report FNE6368 Tested 12 April 1994 issued on 19 th day of April 1994 Testing Officer, Z. Trojko & G E Collins for Research Manager Fire Technology. Certificate Number N94/0077:NFBBNE1676. Test results conclude Silverline 0007 radiant barrier has an ignitability rating of 0. For detailed information contact Silverline. |
| Q. |
How many types of home insulation are available, and what are they? |
A. |
There may appear to be many types of home insulation available, but, in reality they will fall into one of two categories. Reflective Foil Insulation (RFI) and Bulk Insulation. |
| Q. |
Why does SILVERLINE specialize in foil insulation? |
A. |
When one looks at insulation through the eyes of physics, rather than through emotion, reflective foil, or radiant barriers, commonly known as RFI, are dramatically more efficient than the traditional thick, fibrous, or doona type insulation, commonly known as BULK insulation. |
| Q. |
If foil insulation is so good why is bulk insulation so popular? |
A. |
History will show that new technology sometimes takes a while to be accepted, therefore the thick Bulk Insulation that has been used for thousands of years originally in cold climates, is more traditionally accepted.
We all acknowledge that new technology has reduced the size, and increased the efficiency of many things in this modern society. (Take for example the very computer you are reading this from). Modern Reflective Foil Insulation (RFI) is a fine example of this. As home owners become aware of the outstanding advantages of RFI, its popularity is growing rapidly. |
| Q. |
What are the advantages of RFI? |
A. |
RFI or more accurately known as RADIANT BARRIER actually STOPS 97% of Radiant Heat entering your home, whereas bulk insulation only slows down the Radiant Heat transfer. |
| Q. |
What is radiant heat transfer? |
A. |
Radiant heat is an electronic transfer of energy. You feel radiant heat from a burning fire, or from the heat of the sun transferred into your ceiling space making your home hot and uncomfortable. Radiant heat travels in any direction, up or down, and is responsible for up to 93% of the heat entering your home in summer and up to 70% heat loss in winter. |
| Q. |
What other kinds of heat transfer are there? |
A. |
There are only three types of heat transfer known to science.
a. Radiant - as discussed above
b. Conduction - conduction heat transfer happens when heat moves through a mass. A great example of this is a cool spoon that is placed into a hot bowl of soup. Within a few minutes the end of the spoon not immersed in the soup will be warm or hot to the touch. Conducted heat travels in any direction, up or down, but is only responsible for a very small percentage (1 or 2%) of heat entering your home.
c. Convection - Convection only occurs in a gas or liquid. A good example of convected heat is the smoke going up a chimney, or a hot air balloon going up into the air. Convected heat always goes up and is only responsible for a small amount of heat coming into your home, and can be easily addressed by using a vent, e.g. Whirley bird. |
| Q. |
Do SILVERLINE foils simply work by reflecting heat away as a mirror reflects sunlight? |
A. |
Although Silverline foils can work that way it is not the main and most important way.
In fact the term Reflective Foil Insulation is a very unfortunate and perhaps misleading term in Silverline’s opinion, because reflection has very little to do with the subject. The real reason that good quality foil stops Radiant heat is because certain materials, one being pure aluminum do not give off heat, or emit heat. In other words no matter how much you heat up the foil, unless you actually touch the foil you would never know it is hot. So, as long as you have a 25mm void or air gap between the foil and what it is that you are protecting from the heat, Radiant heat barriers or RB as they are commonly known will give you almost 100% protection from the Radiant heat flow. |
| Q. |
How does SILVERLINE foil reflect heat when in a dark ceiling? |
A. |
We must not confuse Radiant light with Radiant heat. Your roof stops the Radiant light leaving you with Radiant heat, scientists refer to this as “Black Bodied Radiation” or BBR. This is the heat transfer that causes 93% of the problem. SILVERLINE Radiant Barriers STOP 97% of this problem. |
| Q. |
How can SILVERLINE foils work when they are so thin? |
A. |
In terms of stopping Radiant heat, the thickness of the foil is irrelevant.
E.g. the gold foil used in astronauts helmets, and in some industrial welding safety glasses is so thin you can see through it and yet it protects from very extreme Radiant Heat. |
| Q. |
Why is foil insulation better than wool insulation? |
A. |
In terms of stopping Radiant heat entering your home “pure wool “ insulation is identical to any other bulk insulation, such as, fibreglass, polyester, polyester wool blend, cellulose fibre or (pump in paper), sand, soil, sawdust, seaweed, or ashes, all of which are or have been used as a bulk insulation and all are identical if they have the same scientific R-value. Their function is to absorb the heat and slow down the transfer. It’s only a matter of time before the heat soaks through.
(FLUFFY TOWEL OR UMBRELLA SCENARIO) |
| Q. |
Do some insulations cause stuffy hot evenings after a hot day, and if so why? |
A. |
Yes, the industry calls this “night time furnacing”. The most common reason for this phenomena is using Bulk insulation that has a high “R- value”, e.g. 3 or 4, in a hot climate. The heat of the day is absorbed in the thick mass and then lays like a hot blanket in your roof that you can’t kick off. SILVERLINE foils never heat up therefore they don’t need to cool down giving maximum coolness day and night. |
| Q. |
What is an R value? |
A. |
This is a complicated and sometimes contradictory subject.
An “R-value” is a measurement of time that it takes for heat to travel through a mass. E.g. Your insulation. It was originally used in cold climates to measure the ability of a wall, floor, or ceiling, to keep heat in a living area. This is referred to as “Literal or added R-value”
However with the advancement of technology, and the advent of the “space program” modern foils were introduced to insulate against extremes of temperatures. Engineers have had to devise a new way of calculating performances and this is known as “calculated R-value or Total R-value”
These calculations are used to comply with modern building regulations. |
| Q. |
Do R-values really matter? |
A. |
Yes and no. Building standards have a minimum of R2.5 for new homes, but an R-value in Foils does not determine how much Radiant heat will be stopped. The emittance values in a product determine how good it is or not.
Further information on this subject is available upon request. |
| Q. |
Should I choose insulation with a high R-value? |
A. |
Not necessarily, in bulk or bat type insulation (if that is your choice), a high R-value can be a big mistake, particularly in hot climates. The reason for this is very simple. Bat or bulky type insulation is inevitably very thick, and very thick insulation stores a lot of heat during the day and takes a long time to cool down at night, making your evenings very uncomfortable. (the industry calls this night time furnacing). If using bulk or bat type insulation it is important to use the correct R-value for your area. The hotter the climate, the lower the R-value.
Note, foil insulation does not cause “night time furnacing” even if it has a high total R-value. Foil stores very little heat within itself due to the fact that it is very thin, and it has what science calls a low emittance. |
| Q. |
What are emittance values? |
A. |
Some materials give off, or emit almost no heat. Silver, gold and high grade aluminium eg. Silverline Foils are good examples. Unless you physically touch these materials you would have no way of telling how hot they are.
On the other hand a pot belly stove for example has a high emittance value ,or, gives off, or emits large amounts of heat, even if the fire is almost out. |
| Q. |
Do SILVERLINE Foils keep you warm in the winter? |
A. |
During winter your home can be up to 8 degrees warmer, depending on how much you heat you house inside. There is no definite degree across all homes, as all homes differ in building construction. You could expect up to 40% reduction in heating costs, as SILVERLINE insulation will keep the heat in. (similar to how a thermos flask works). |
| Q. |
Are all insulations environmentally friendly? |
A. |
No. there is a lot of bulk materials put into homes that are chemically treated. A large number of them can be put into your home, but if taken out have to go to chemical waste plants as hazardous materials. These insulations can cause health problems. Our foils are 100% recyclable. There are no toxins, chemicals, fluffs, or fibres. |
| Q. |
Have SILVERLINE foils been tested by the CSIRO or equivalent authorities? |
A. |
Yes, we have had our foils tested by the CSIRO and other authorities, to ensure they meet Australian standards. Details on request. |
| Q. |
Do all SILVERLINE foils have a good fire rating? |
A. |
The insulation industry measures ignitability from 0-20, where 20 is highly flammable. Most of Silverline foils have an ignitability rating of 0 - where 0 does not burn. Other foils have a rating of 1 and do not spread flame or intensify any fire. Note cellulose fibre, or pump in paper insulation has an ignitability rating of approx 17! |
| Q. |
Does the damp humid weather affect insulation materials? |
A. |
SILVERLINE Foil is designed not to be affected by damp humid weather. On the other hand the effectiveness of bulky, bat or pump in insulation is reduced considerably by even a slight increase in humidity. |
| Q. |
Why are some SILVERLINE Foils perforated? |
A. |
Perforation helps to prevent sweating or condensation in damp or humid conditions. |
| Q. |
Why are some SILVERLINE foils white or blue on one side? |
A. |
Some foils have a colour on one side to assist builders against glare. As explained in question # 7, one does not need a shiny side to “reflect” radiant heat. |
| Q. |
Which side goes toward the heat? |
A. |
When installing our products, the materials that do have a colour on one side, be it green, blue, or white, these face the heat! In other words the colour will be facing upwards, or outwards |
| Q. |
Is SILVERLINE foil the same as sarking? |
A. |
SILVERLINE Foil and Sarking are both aluminium foils. Sarking is primarily designed to stop moisture in walls and under roofing materials, whereas SILVERLINE Foils are specifically designed to stop heat in walls and ceilings in place of bulky insulation e.g. Batts or pump in paper. |
| Q. |
Aluminium is a conductor of heat. How can SILVERLINE foils stop heat and keep you cool or warm? |
A. |
It is true to say SILVERLINE Foils have very little resistance to conducted heat, but it is to be noted that 93% of the heat coming into your home comes in, in the form of radiation, not conduction, and SILVERLINE Foil stops 97% of radiant heat, giving you almost 100% protection. |
| Q. |
Are foils used in other avenues in our lives? |
A. |
Yes, foils are used in may avenues such as: Pipe insulation, duct wrapping, hot water heater blankets, above ground pool insulation, poultry sheds, cold storage rooms, wine cellars, medical room linings, computer room linings, industrial oven wall linings. There are far too many to mention them all.
(note next question ) |
| Q. |
Who invented foil insulation and why? |
A. |
Reflective RB insulation is a commercial spin-off of the NASA Apollo Space Program. NASA used a reflective RB foil covering to create a radiant barrier for both the spacecraft and space suits to stop the intense heat of the sun from the astronauts by day, and to stop the heat escaping the capsule or space suit at night for warmth. NASA estimates that “using conventional insulation, a space suit would have required a 7-foot-thick protective layer”. Reflective insulation brings this radiant barrier technology to consumers for all types of building applications. |
| Q. |
How much heat can I stop using foil insulation as compared to bulk insulation? |
A. |
You can stop up to 98% of the suns Radiant Heat with our foils - that’s almost 100%.
Bulk insulation, on the other hand, doesn’t stop the heat transfer it merely slows it down. How much depends on the R-value or thickness. |
| Q. |
What temperature will it be in my home if I use SILVERLINE foil insulation? |
A. |
SILVERLINE foils can reduce the temperature in your home by up to 12 degrees. Not all homes will deliver the same results though, as they are all built differently. |
| Q. |
Why are there so many insulation types? |
A. |
Just like there are many types of sleeping bags to protect you from cold, there are also many types of insulations, some are just more effective than others. In general there are four aspects to consider when selecting insulation: Is it suitable for the intended purpose? Is it safe? Is it affordable, in terms of my budget? Is it environmentally responsible? |
| Q. |
How long will the insulation last once installed? |
A. |
Silverline foils do not degrade and thus will last for over 30 years in your home |
| Q. |
How much does it cost? |
A. |
We have a number of products that vary in pricing. It could cost as little as $10/m2 to as much as $15/m2 to have Silverline Foils installed into your home. A home assessment will determine the exact price. |
| Q. |
Do I place SILVERLINE foils over traditional Bulk insulation? |
A. |
Yes, we do a lot of fitting over old, ineffective bulk insulations |
| Q. |
How much difference will it make if I did insulate over bulk insulation |
A. |
You will have dramatic reductions in your home by insulating over bulk insulation |
| Q. |
Can I use SILVERLINE foil if I have air-conditioning and what difference will it make? |
A. |
Most definitely, you will find that you use your air-conditioner a lot less. One can have up to 50% reduction in the heating and cooling costs in the year. |
| Q. |
Can I walk on SILVERLINE Foil? |
A. |
Yes, the insulation is not stapled so tight that you cannot see where the ceiling trusses are to walk on. |
| Q. |
What if I get a rip or damaged area? |
A. |
As an after sales service, we will come out and re-staple the damaged area if a electrician has damaged your foil carelessly |
| Q. |
Can I store stuff in the attic after I put in SILVERLINE foils? |
A. |
Yes, things can be stored on top of the foil. |
| Q. |
Are all SILVERLINE foils the same? |
A. |
No, we have a number of foils that are designed specifically for certain applications. |
| Q. |
How long has SILVERLINE been around? |
A. |
Silverline was founded in 1976. The owner also has over 40 years worth of building experience and the best foils have been sourced. |
| Q. |
Does SILVERLINE give guarantees? |
A. |
We do give guarantees for fittings that we have put in ourselves. Each material has its own guarantee. |
| Q. |
Can I shift Silverline foils from one house to another house? |
A. |
It is not recommended to remove, but it can be done. |
| Q. |
What about Fans and down lights in my house? |
A. |
No problem, a circle is simply cut around the light. |
| Q. |
Won’t a lot of heat come through the holes that are cut around my down lights and fans? |
A. |
The amount of heat coming through the holes is minimal |
| Q. |
Can Silverline Foil conduct electricity? |
A. |
Yes, because some of our foils have a high metal content, it does conduct electricity. |
| Q. |
What if an electrician goes up into the ceiling, will he damage SILVERLINE foils? |
A. |
If the electrician takes care, in lifting the sheets there is no reason why he should damage the foils unless he is careless. |
| Q. |
Can I put SILVERLINE up under roof rafters in stead of down on ceiling? |
A. |
Yes, but this is a very lengthy and expensive process to do. |
| Q. |
Is Silverline used in new houses? |
A. |
Yes, we do install in new homes. Our foils meet the Building requirement R-Values. |
| Q. |
Can I use SILVERLINE foils in walls or floors? |
A. |
Yes, we have foils specifically designed to go in walls and floors |
| Q. |
Can I use SILVERLINE foils in sheds or industrial buildings? |
A. |
Yes, we have foils specifically designed to go in sheds, pergolas and industrial buildings |
| Q. |
Does SILVERLINE have several foils and why? |
A. |
We have a number of products to suit a wide range of needs, both in the industry and for the consumers affordability. |
| Q. |
Can I use SILVERLINE on internal walls? |
A. |
Yes, we have some foils that can be used on internal walls. |
| Q. |
Can I use SILVERLINE instead of sarking or builders wrap? |
A. |
Yes, we have a insulation product that can replace the sarking or builders wrap for Zone areas 1,2,3 in Australia. |
| Q. |
Does SILVERLINE Foil need to have whirly birds or vents? |
A. |
Yes and No. If you have a tiled roof with No sarking you will not need to have a whirly bird. If you have a colorbond roof it is recommended to install whirlybirds for the heat to escape. |
| Q. |
Can I put SILVERLINE in the ceiling myself or do I have to have a trained person |
A. |
We have both options. We have DIY kits for those that would like to do it themselves and save money, or others that simply want a fitter to install it for them. With doing it yourself you are guaranteed the after sale service and guarantees. |
| Q. |
What happens if I make a bit of a mess putting it in myself |
A. |
One of Silverline’s fitters can be employed to relay the material for you. |
| Q. |
Do I have to tape all joints? |
A. |
No |
| Q. |
Do I overlap the joints and how much |
A. |
When using foil insulation, the best results are achieved by having 100% coverage. Thus it is vital to overlap the material by a minimum of 5cm. |
| Q. |
Do I nail, stick or staple it down |
A. |
Foils in the ceiling are only lightly stapled down to stop them from moving. Some of our other foils, when used in Sheds, pergolas or industrial buildings can be nailed or screwed down. |
| Q. |
Do I have to use special masks or over-alls? |
A. |
No. Masks are only needed if you have an asbestos roof. |
| Q. |
Where do I put SILVERLINE? |
A. |
Silverline foils get laid on top of the ceilings timbers and not flat on the back of the ceiling giprock |
| Q. |
Is and air gap important? |
A. |
The performance of the insulation is determined by the emittance of the material(s), the lower the better, and the size of the enclosed air spaces. The smaller the air space, the less heat will transfer by convection. These smaller trapped air spaces reduce convective heat flow. |
| Q. |
How does the price compare? |
A. |
Our foils are very competitive, and at times much more affordable than Bulk insulation |
| Q. |
How long are the rolls? |
A. |
Our rolls range in lengths of 80 lineal meters, down to 20 lineal metres, depending on the product |
| Q. |
How wide are the rolls? |
A. |
All our materials range comes in either 1.35mwide rolls or 1.5m wide rolls, depending on the product purchased. |
Questions to Answers are in the opinion of Silverline |
