There is a lot to love about metal buildings, from the flexibility of the design of these buildings to the affordable nature of the material; it’s no surprise that so many people are picking metal as their material of choice for all kinds of new structures. 

With that said, there is one point that can be a minor issue if you don’t address it properly – metal is an excellent conductor of heat. When it’s hot outside, it will quickly get hot inside a metal building. The opposite is true when it is cold. So, if you want the space inside your building to remain pretty neutral in terms of temperature, proper insulation is essential. 

In this post, we will offer tips on properly insulating a metal building like a shed, garage, or another type of structure. With good insulation in place, the temperature swings will be reduced dramatically, and the building will be more useful overall. To start creating a metal building of your own, use the Build & Price tool here on our site to customize a design and request a quote. You can also contact us at any time for assistance. 

Is Insulation Needed? 

Before diving into this project, it might be worth stopping to ensure that insulation is needed in your building. In some cases, such as when a metal building is used only for storage of items that aren’t sensitive to temperature, insulation could be a waste. 

With that said, many common uses for metal buildings will call for insulation as necessary. If you spend much time in the space, for example, you’ll want to have insulation in place to make it more enjoyable and comfortable. Also, if you’ll be using it for storage and the items you want to store are vulnerable to particularly high or low temperatures, adding insulation will make the building more useful. Go over your plans for the building, or look at how you currently use it and decide. 

An Assortment of Options

If you decide to proceed with insulation in your metal building, you will find that plenty of products exist on the market for just this purpose. The list below is a partial accounting of the possibilities –

• Spray foam. This is a product that is sprayed into place before it expands and fills up the space in the walls. When applied properly by a professional, this kind of insulation can be effective. 
• Blanket insulation. For many people, this is the product they picture first when imaging insulation. Blanket insulation comes in a range of R-values and can be installed without much experience or expertise. Although it does offer solid insulating performance, it’s not as effective as some other options. 
• Rigid board. If you want to spend more money on the insulation process, consider looking at rigid board for its performance. In exchange for your additional investment, you’ll get outstanding performance that might be the best of any of your available choices. 

Although some insulation products are approachable for DIY installation, working with a professional is usually best to get optimal results. A pro who regularly works on insulating metal buildings will be more effective at getting the job done than the average business or homeowner, and the cost of the insulation process might be lower than you are expecting. 

Remember the Roof

As humans, we lose much of our body heat in cold weather through our heads. The same can be said for metal buildings, as an uninsulated roof will be a major issue in retaining heat. So, in the insulation process, don’t forget to address the roof and find a way to add protection in this area to help hold heat in rather than letting it escape. Since the roof is more challenging to work on, many people who insulate their own metal building without the help of a pro will skip this step. 

Insulate Your Custom Metal Building from American Steel

While it’s certainly possible to go back and add insulation to an existing metal building, it’s better to just add this element from the start. As you are thinking about the new building you’d like to order from American Steel Carports, Inc., include insulation in your thought process and make sure this structure is as useful as it can be from the very first day after it is completed. Contact us today.