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.

Structural Design

We design and manufacture pre-engineered steel buildings, and offer you a number of advantages over conventional construction techniques. Steel buildings are inexpensive and incredibly tough. Our bolt-together design is assembled quickly without any specialized skills. Each rigid frame is comprised of two or more columns supporting a rafter across the width of the building. In most steel buildings, endwall bearing frames support one-half the load of a rigid "main" frame. In most situations, we utilize the more economical "bearing" end frames. Adding an expandable endwall or rigid frame is only a click away. Unlike any of our competitors, we allow you to choose the endwall condition of your building. Depending on design considerations, our endwall rafters and columns may be either hot rolled or cold-formed.

The space between the rigid frames of a steel building is referred to as a "bay."- an 80' long building has been divided into four 20' bays by spacing the frames 20' apart (4 x 20' = 80'). This configuration is described as "four bays at 20." A 100' building could be configured with four bays at 25 (4x 25' = 100')

Endwall bay spacing is usually determined by the building width. You can add one or more framed openings to most buildings. Endwall bay spacing can usually changed to accommodate your needs without changing the price.

Installation and Selection of Insulation

We provide the highest quality products available. However, proper installation and selection is imperative for maximum effectiveness. Please refer to installation instructions to ensure correct procedures are used. Facings that have been torn or punctured are no longer capable of blocking water vapor and may eventually do more harm than good. Be sure to quickly patch any holes in the vapor barrier.

When selecting a facing, special consideration should be given to its reflective quality. A facing with high reflectivity reduces the need for high light levels in work areas. This results in reduced energy costs and increased productivity.

Although the fiberglass insulation itself is not affected by cold weather, the facing is. Colder temperatures can cause cold crack, a situation where the facing becomes brittle and if handled can crack. Bay Insulation recommends that vinyl faced fiberglass products never be installed in temperatures below 40 degrees.

Pre Engineered Buildings

When you contract a builder or architect to plan your new building, you are paying a premium for the design. This is costly procedure considering the similarity of building needs. Why pay design fees for a building similar to hundreds already built?

Pre engineered buildings can be customized for your exact needs. Buildings are shipped to you pre cut into easily constructed pieces for easy erection. Pre-engineered buildings have become more popular in recent years due to the rising costs of traditional construction services.

What is surprising about pre engineered building systems is the structural stability. Buildings are designed to meet wind, snow and seismic loads. Pre-engineered steel buildings offer outstanding performance, quality and resiliency.

Overall Heat Transmission Coefficient (U-Value)

A unit used to express heat passage through a complete building section, including air films. U-Values serve as a basis for determining transmitted heat loss. The lower the U-Value, the higher the insulation value.