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What kind of insulation do you guys recommend? How is the tarp stuff?

JoeG
JoeG Member Posts: 88
in Radiant Heating
Hi, I am asking this in a different thread in case people search it'll be easier to find, How do you guys feel about the Insul Tarp or Insul Blanket some call it for going under the slab? The tarp would cost me about $500.00 where foam would run about $900.00.



And I am still not sure if I am even going with radiant figured I d at least ask so I can be ready if I do.

Comments

  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,472
    can't beat the ....

    tried and true blue. Look at it this way... the tarp has 1/2 the r-value... and 1/2 the price. Look for some recycled stuff to get a price break.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,611
    Not insulation

    Insultarp is not insulation. The "r" values they use are not really r- values. They are based on radiant reflectivity or "equivalent r values". This method  was banned by the DOE a few years ago. Here is a great article from one of the industry greats http://www.pmmag.com/Articles/Column/ade39412e70d7010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____



    Also,

    don't forget to center the tubes in the slabs http://www.pmmag.com/Articles/Column/67c66155b6fc7010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____



    Carl
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Housedoc
    Housedoc Member Posts: 66
    InsulaTarp - the non-insulator

    Oak Ridge National Labs or LBL tested these products some time back and found the R-value claims to be completely bogus. I think the outcome was about R-0 to R .50. I remember reading an article about it in Home Energy magazine. I would rather spend zero for no value than $500.
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