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Is an Insulation Retrofit Right for Your Pre-engineered Steel Building?

Is an Insulation Retrofit Right for Your Pre-engineered Steel Building?

Whether it’s a structural steel or pre-engineered steel building, an insulation retrofit can enhance performance in numerous ways.

Upping the insulation value of a pre-engineered steel building is often a good way to reduce ongoing operating expenses. Whether you’re insulating walls or the roof, you’ll end up improving your structure in a number of ways.

Before you dive headlong into a retrofit project, it’s a good idea to determine whether your building is a good candidate. In some instances, you might find that the installation process is too onerous or cost-prohibitive to be practical. Talking to a pre-engineered steel building company like Metal Structure Concepts is a good place to start.

If it turns out your steel building would benefit from an insulation upgrade, here’s what you stand to gain…

 

Reduced Energy Costs

Electricity costs aren’t getting any cheaper. Anything you can do to increase the energy efficiency of your building—whether it’s pre-engineered or structural steel—will save you money in the long run.

Obviously, buildings with no insulation stand to benefit the most from a retrofit, but even those structures with existing insulation systems could use an upgrade if they: 

  • Don’t meet current building standards
  • Have been damaged or are deteriorated
  • Fail to provide a sufficient air barrier

 

More Comfortable Work Environment

If you’ve purchased an existing pre-engineered steel building and intend to house a workforce in it, it’s a good idea to check over the insulation and HVAC systems to make sure they’ll meet your needs. It’s possible that the previous owner used the structure for storage purposes, and wasn’t overly concerned with maintaining a comfortable workspace.

The combination of an appropriate HVAC system and insulation barrier will:

  • Help keep your building comfortable year-round
  • Protect the materials, tools and equipment inside your building
  • Keep your employees happier and more productive

In the event that you’re required to update your HVAC system, you might have to retrofit your insulation as well to bring everything up to code.

 

Interior Brightness

Another way in which insulation retrofits can improve a work environment is by brightening the interior space. Many products are available in bright white finishes, which can:

  • Improve worker visibility
  • Increase production quality
  • Reduce workplace hazards
  • Reduce dependency on artificial lighting

 

Noise Control

If you have noisy operations happening within your building, an effective insulation system will act as a sound barrier. You can also introduce sound abatement to interior walls to minimize noise transfer between your production floor and office.

 

Add Longevity to Your Investment

As mentioned, a steel building that lacks sufficient insulation is prone to condensation. Along with potential health risks to building occupants, it can reduce the total life expectancy of the building.

For more on this subject, read: Why do Pre-engineered Steel Buildings Need Air Barriers?

 

If you need a pre-engineered steel building company that does maintenance and repairs, call Metal Structure Concepts. From re-skinning building exteriors to complete roofing retrofits, we do it all.