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.

Roof Extensions and Overhangs

Extensions can improve the appearance of a building but will cost more. Roof extensions add "curb-appeal" to some buildings, but will take more time to complete the erection of the building because of the amount of extra covering trim. Extensions can also help a building merge in better in an environment of conventionally constructed buildings in commercial areas. An overhang offers you some protection from the rain and shade from the sun. These options can be important when you receive many visitors to your building, by offering shelter from the elements.

We offer two types of roof extensions: (1) Gable Extensions for endwalls (2) Eave Extensions for sidewalls. Using our system, you can easily and quickly design and price buildings with overhangs up to 5' on any or all of the walls. When in the Building Accessories section select Roof Extensions.

COMMERCIAL OFFICES

Your place of business should and can be more than just a place to work. It should reflect your company's image and be no less comfortable, functional or attractive than your living environment. Entry-ways and lighting, interior wall placement, and location of restrooms are as important in your office building as they are in your own home. Properly planned, your facility will serve your needs for many years to come, and you will avoid future changes or costly remodeling.

Modern ceiling and interior wall systems are very easily adapted to our manufactured building components using standard methods. For instance, perimeter sheet rock walls may be installed by simply attaching metal furring strips (hat channel) to the secondary wall framing members (girts). Similarly, acoustic panel or dry-wall ceilings may be installed by simply wrapping the ceiling suspension wires around the secondary roof framing members (purlins). Additionally, port-a-wall systems may be installed as needed throughout the structure.

Additional loads from heating and air conditioning systems, dropped ceilings, electrical conduit and lighting fixtures, or large mechanical sprinkler systems can be accommodated easily at your request with minimal cost, assuring a full roof-load certification.

The building components may represent a small percentage of the total cost of your office budget. Therefore, we are careful to ensure that the main structural components we provide will be reliable, helping to protect your investment against any water seepage, leaks or storm damage that can deteriorate your office complex.

When selecting the manufacturer of your building components, careful consideration must be given to both function and price. Your dealer will encourage you to have an architect review all aspects of your building plan, including lighting requirements, window heights, storage space, carpet wear ability, entrances, landscaping, parking and signage, to ensure you of a facility that will maintain its value and be a source of pride for years to come.

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.

Steel Buildings Are Economical

A steel building is an economical choice and will save you money in construction costs. We make it easy for you to design the building that's just right for you. We have implemented years of steel building design and engineering experience into our system, and you can be confident in your design requirements without worries. The "design it yourself" concept was designed to reduce costs. When you design your own steel building, we use the information you submit online to detail your steel building, just as you designed it. You can design endless steel building combinations without anyone trying to sell you a thing or make a commission. Take all the time you need, making changes to your building configurations are a snap. And of course, we are here to help you, when and if you need it. You can speak to a customer service representative, designer, engineer or project administrator at your convenience. We have no commissioned sales personnel, just experienced steel building professionals waiting to serve you.