Our Reflex-AIR® WHITE Reflective Insulation is the ideal choice for insulating new concrete floors against loss of heat. It can be used in conjunction with, or without, radiant heat tubing to help keep floors warm.
How to Install Concrete Insulation
- Unroll the Reflex-AIR® WHITE reflective insulation over the sand or gravel base with the aluminum side facing down - white side facing up. (This reduces corrosion of reflective side by alkaline in the fresh concrete).
- Butt and tape the seams with white poly tape to create a complete vapor barrier. Use a flat taping tool to assure proper sealing of tape seams.
- If desired, install radiant heating over the reflective bubble insulation per the manufacturer's specifications.
- Install the concrete over the top as recommended by building code requirements.
Expected R-Values in Concrete
White reflective insulation used in a concrete flooring application can achieve an approximated R-Value of 1.95. The Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association (RIMA) consulted a firm specializing in thermal performance to help explain how reflective insulation works in a concrete slab application.
Below is a direct quote from this study:
"In order to more fully understand the influence of reflective insulation materials in concrete floor systems, RIMA obtained the services of a consulting firm specializing in thermal performance (R & D Services, Inc.). Thermal efficiency calculations were used to generate an estimate for a typical case involving reduction in heat loss for a common concrete floor system. The calculation is based on steady-state thermal conditions with an isothermal plane at the heating pipes and a plane between the gravel and the ground.
The ground temperature was 55 degrees Fahrenheit, while the temperature of the heating pipes was 125 degrees Fahrenheit. The calculation assumes two inches of concrete (R-0.10) below the heating pipes, and five inches of gravel (R-0.75). A reflective insulation material (R-1.10) is located between the concrete and the gravel (the total thickness of the concrete floor system is roughly nine inches). The system R-value of R-1.95 reduces heat loss by 56% when compared to the same concrete floor system without insulation."
