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Is Bubble Wrap Duct insulation a good idea?

Lora's question seemed innocent enough, but it was enough to touch off a war of words and prove that building science isn't always dryly academic.It can get downright cantankerous.

Lora thought that double-wrapped bubble wrap was a cheaper way to insulate the ducts in her house, but does it really work?

A better option is to install foil-faced duct insulation after the ducts have been sealed with mastic and checked for air-tightness.He wrote that bubble wrap is not Energy Star or Manual D approved and is viewed as snake oil by builders.

Martin Holladay picked up on the theme ofsnake oil and said that any claim that bubble wrap is the equivalent of R6 duct insulation is a scam.The product has an R-value of 1.04 according to the tests commissioned by Reflectix.Reflectix does not mention this R-value of 1.04 on its Web site, but it can be found in a laboratory report available from the company on request.Holladay points out that the R 6 value is based on the complete assembly, not the material alone.The bubble wrap was installed over the air space around the duct.He said that the R6 derives from the air space, not the Reflectix.Are you already a member?Log in if(window. performance)

Senior editor Martin Holladay said any claim that bubble wrap is the equivalent of R6 duct insulation is a scam.The product has an R-value of 1.04 according to the tests commissioned by Reflectix.Reflectix does not mention this R-value of 1.04 on its Web site, but it can be found in a laboratory report available from the company on request.)”

Holladay points out that the R 6 value is based on the complete assembly, not the material alone.The bubble wrap was installed over the air space around the duct.He said that the R6 derives from the air space, not the Reflectix.

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On the same website, there is an ad for a spray-on barrier.We could jump from the frying pan to the fire.It all comes down to money.

Armondo Google serves the ads based on what the article is about.This may not be the best value for people buying ads.

I understand that using bubble wrap as duct insulation without an air gap doesn't work.If it is installed on the bottom of the floor joist with a small space between it and the fiberglass insulation, what will happen?Is that still a waste of time?I bought the bubble wrap and would like to make sure it is an effective product before I return it.I didn't know about this site at the right time.

Reflectix has an R-value of about R-1.It can raise the R-value of the air space up to about R 3 if it's installed next to it.That's not much.Buying real insulation will give you more value per dollar.The difference between Reflectix and XPS foam is that the former will do a better job of insulation.If the retailer who sold you the Reflectix will take it back and give you a refund, that's all you need to do.

Reflectix has an R-value of about R-1.It can raise the R-value of the air space up to about R 3 if it's installed next to it.That's not much.

Buying real insulation will give you more value per dollar.The difference between Reflectix and XPS foam is that the former will do a better job of insulation.

If the retailer who sold you the Reflectix will take it back and give you a refund, that's all you need to do.

Why is the duct cooler with bubble wrap?The heating ducts were warm.I think fiberglass is the future because I installed bubble-type duct insulation.It is cool to the touch when I touch the outside of the insulated duct.I realize that this isn't lab-tested proof, but what about the bubble wrap in the air duct?It's called PHM.

I think fiberglass is the future because I installed bubble-type duct insulation.

I realize that this isn't lab-tested proof, but what about the bubble wrap in the air duct?

The bubble wrap insulates the duct.It is likely to have an R-value of R-1.It isn't very strong.R-8 duct insulation is standard in most areas of the country.

The bubble wrap insulates the duct.It is likely to have an R-value of R-1.

It isn't very strong.R-8 duct insulation is standard in most areas of the country.

I noticed that there were two layers of bubble-foil duct wrap on the duct trunks in the attic of the building I was in.Both of these ducts were made of sheet metal.There was no air gap between the bubble wrap and the duct.I had a camera in the attic.If you set the emissivity value on IR cameras, foil surfaces will throw off temperature measurements.The low E coating wouldn't work because the ducts were covered with a layer of insulation.The bubble wrap foil duct has a warmer surface temperature than the fiberglass wrapped ducts.It looks like two layers of bubble foil wrap is not as good as an R6 fiberglass duct wrap.To get a same-emissivity surface temperature test, the ideal experiment would have been to clean the ducts and run a strip of masking tape down the foil jackets.I was trying to get an investigation done and not get duct surface temperatures.If the low-E foil coating had a significant effect on my surface temperatures, it should make them look colder than they are.

I had a camera in the attic.If you set the emissivity value on IR cameras, foil surfaces will throw off temperature measurements.The low E coating wouldn't work because the ducts were covered with a layer of insulation.

The bubble wrap foil duct has a warmer surface temperature than the fiberglass wrapped ducts.It looks like two layers of bubble foil wrap is not as good as an R6 fiberglass duct wrap.

To get a same-emissivity surface temperature test, the ideal experiment would have been to clean the ducts and run a strip of masking tape down the foil jackets.I was trying to get an investigation done and not get duct surface temperatures.

If the low-E foil coating had a significant effect on my surface temperatures, it should make them look colder than they are.

Thank you for sharing your revealing photos.The conclusion that the bubble-wrap foil duct has a much warmer surface temperature than the fiberglass-wrapped ducts is consistent with what one might expect from the dismally low R-value of bubble wrap.You didn't mention whether the photos were taken during heating season or cooling season, but I assume that these ducts were delivering heated air from a furnace or heat pump.

You didn't mention whether the photos were taken during heating season or cooling season, but I assume that these ducts were delivering heated air from a furnace or heat pump.

You didn't mention whether the photos were taken during heating season or cooling season, but I assume that these ducts were delivering heated air from a furnace or heat pump.The photo was taken on a 30-40 F day in New England and all the equipment was running in heating mode.The heat was provided by sealed-combustion gas furnaces.

You didn't mention whether the photos were taken during heating season or cooling season, but I assume that these ducts were delivering heated air from a furnace or heat pump.

The photo was taken on a 30-40 F day in New England and all the equipment was running in heating mode.The heat was provided by sealed-combustion gas furnaces.

We finished off an attic room over our garage last year and added ductwork to the existing system.The contractor looked at the size of the unit and said it should be able to handle the extra space.The system works, but it's warm in that room during the summer.The thin bubble wrap type around the main trunk line was the type of insulation they used for the duct work.There is fiberglass insulation around the main trunk line.Both spaces have fiberglass flex lines.Can I add fiberglass insulation over the existing foil bubble wrap to help the system handle the additional space footage?I'm worried about the cool air being lost in the attic.Is that a waste of money?We live in the southern Maryland region.Thanks for any information, HD.

HD, Q.Adding fiberglass insulation over the existing foil bubble wrap will help the system handle the additional space footage.A.Yes.The bubble wrap has a low R- value and is useless as insulation.

HD, Q.Adding fiberglass insulation over the existing foil bubble wrap will help the system handle the additional space footage.

I have put in a lot of reflective barriers.The reflective barrier needs to be installed as a designed system or used to stop the heat from coming in one direction or another.A very low initial R value is given by bubble foil in a crawl space when sealed properly.It works well for that.The foil barrier with air gaps can provide an efficient end to the heat.I have used it in southern and western walls to end heat transmission problems.The interior temperature can drop to 50 degrees or more.We need to address when and how reflective barriers work.They are inexpensive when used as a system.When one can use sheet foils with air gaps for the same return on investment, why wouldn't one use bubbles on an ac system?If they don't have mass insulation under them, they will only work in one direction, without the air gap.It's possible that a better idea is reflective foil under rafters.Standard foil faced ducting will have two layers stopping heat transfer as well as cooling an attic to within a few degrees of exterior ambient.I have done this many times in Dallas.The best results were under the rafters in Dallas.The best results are given for summer and winter.Many clients had rooms that were not usable due to heat loss or gain.Issues were solved at a fair price.

The foil barrier with air gaps can provide an efficient end to the heat.I have used it in southern and western walls to end heat transmission problems.The interior temperature can drop to 50 degrees or more.

We need to address when and how reflective barriers work.They are inexpensive when used as a system.

When one can use sheet foils with air gaps for the same return on investment, why wouldn't one use bubbles on an ac system?If they don't have mass insulation under them, they will only work in one direction, without the air gap.

It's possible that a better idea is reflective foil under rafters.Standard foil faced ducting will have two layers stopping heat transfer as well as cooling an attic to within a few degrees of exterior ambient.I have done this many times in Dallas.

The best results were under the rafters in Dallas.The best results are given for summer and winter.Many clients had rooms that were not usable due to heat loss or gain.Issues were solved at a fair price.

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Is Bubble Wrap Duct insulation a good idea?

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