Condensation Control

The condensation process occurs when warmer moist air comes in contact with cold surfaces such as framing members, windows and other thermally conductive accessories, or the colder region within the insulation itself (if moisture has penetrated the vapor retarder). Warm air, having the ability to contain more moisture than cold air, loses that ability when it comes in contact with cooler surfaces or regions. When this happens, excessive moisture in the air is released in the form of condensation. If this moisture collects in the insulation, the insulating value is decreased.

In dealing with condensation, air may be considered to be a mixture of two gases-dry air and water vapor. One thousand cubic feet of air at 75°F can hold up to 1.4 pints of water. At 45°F, it can hold only 0.5 pints.

Relative Humidity is a percentage measurement of the amount of water vapor present in the air in relation to the amount it is capable of holding at that temperature. Therefore, 50% Relative Humidity would mean that the air is carrying only one-half of the total amount of moisture that it could be holding at that particular temperature. Cold outside air is usually much drier than warm inside air. Therefore, you can lower the Relative Humidity by bringing in outside air to mix with and dilute the moist inside air. At 100% Relative Humidity, the air is "saturated."

The temperature at which the air is saturated and can no longer hold additional moisture is called the dew point temperature. Whenever air temperature drops below its dew point, excess moisture will be released in the form of condensation. Condensation problems are most likely to occur in climates where temperatures frequently dip to 35°F or colder over an extended period of time.

Heat Transfer

Effectively controlling temperature in a steel building requires insulation to be present along exterior walls and roof. When a temperature differential is present in an enclosed steel building, heat will work from warmer areas to colder areas until the temperature in the building has stabilized. At the point of thermal stabilization, the cooler (and heavier) air will be present at lower elevations and warmer air will be present at the roofline. The function of insulation is to help stabilize air temperature at more desirable levels. When it is hot outside, preventing heat from transferring into the building is the goal, and of course in the winter we want heat to remain inside.

Heat transfer occurs in three ways:

Conduction : Occurs in a solid or liquid when heat from one object is transferred by touch to another object. An example of this occurs when a pot on a stove will heat up by conductive heat transfer from an electric coil.

Convection : Occurs with the physical movement of air. There are two types of convectional heat movement. The first is natural, where hot air rises displacing the cold air and moving it down. The second type is forced or mechanical convection. This occurs when an object, like a fan, physically moves or "forces" the air to move.

Radiation : Occurs when an object is warmer or hotter than the air around it. For example, the sun, which is hotter than everything around it, radiates heat waves that travel through the air and is either absorbed by or reflected by the surface it comes in contact with.

Insulating Against Radiant Heat

Traditional forms of mass insulation, like fiberglass, are effective in preventing heat transfer by conduction and convection, but they less effect on radiant heat. Between 80 and 90% of the radiant heat striking fiberglass will pass through or be "emitted". Radiant transfer typically has as much impact on the temperature in a building as conduction and convection. For more information on radiant barrier facings click here.

Facing Types

Popular Facings include:

WMP-VR-R,WMP-VR,WMP-VR-BLACK,WMP-10,WMP-10-BLACK,WMP-50

Specialty Facings include:

WCF-50,WCF-30,WMP-30,Arenasheild,Gymguard,R-3035-HD,WMP-F,VRP-HD,VSF-HD

RESIDENTIAL

Your decision to build is an important one. You have pictured yourself owning your own building, built just the way you want. You have imagined every detail, inside and out. It is a treasured vision, a promise you have made to yourself. And because your business operation is different from any other, your ideas about what you and your company want in a facility are unique. Your dealer, who is backed by a team of professional engineers, can help you turn your dream into a reality. Dealers have worked with a multitude of owners and developers to design efficient, economical structures that reflect the appropriate image for their operations. Architects and engineers will work with your dealer to design a building to meet your individual requirements. We can also work personally with you, your architect's plans, through your dealer to engineer a building system which uses practical, sensible, quality materials to achieve and complete your objective.

Using only the highest quality materials available, factory trained craftsmen use sophisticated Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) equipment to fabricate your building materials. Our commitment to excellence, attention to detail, and high quality workmanship assures you ease of construction, saving you money in time and labor. You have worked and planned to build a building that you can be proud of, and will serve your needs through the years to come; a place which is uniquely yours, a facility that is just as you imagined it. An establishment that brings your special ideas to life. It is an approach that lets you save money, yet build exactly the type of establishment you have always dreamed would be yours someday. This type of approach has pleased thousands of owners just like you. It is a concept that lets you use the pioneer spirit of people working together - you, your dealer, and Metal Building Depot, Inc. - to fulfill your own special vision of the American Dream . . . to build the building of your dreams today. Our steel frame load bearing wall systems with steel partitions provide attractive secure units. The use of fluted block, brick, wood, stucco, or steel can enhance the overall appearance to help attract even more customers.