Roof Talk-101 What Is Polyiso Insulation and How Does it Help My Roofing System?

Roof Talk-101      What Is Polyiso Insulation and How Does it Help My Roofing System?

Polyiso is a closed-cell, rigid foam board insulation consisting of a foam core sandwiched between two facers. The facers are composed of various organic and inorganic materials, usually paper and fiberglass. It is widely used in residential and commercial markets for both roof and side wall applications.

What are the attributes of Polyiso insulation?

Polyiso insulation has many attributes. Polyiso provides:

• The most thermally efficient rigid board insulation available in the marketplace - it has the highest R-value per inch of thickness. 
• A moisture-resistant foam core.
• Compatibility with most solvents used in construction adhesives.
• Excellent dimensional stability 
• Superior performance in fire tests – Polyiso meets the strict standard of both FM Class 1 Approvals (FM 4450/4470), UL 1256, and CAN/ULC S126M 
• A wide range of service temperatures
• Long Term R-value (only roof insulation with third party certification)
• A CFC- and HCFC-free product with zero ozone depletion potential 
• Recycled content in most products (see manufacturer for details).
• Negligible global warming potential. 
• Availability throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Does Polyiso have a high R-value?

Polyiso has the highest per inch R-value of any insulation available. Because of its superior R-value, buildings that use Polyiso have lower heating and cooling costs than buildings insulated with other materials of the same thickness.


What is LTTR?

Based on consensus standards in both the United States and Canada, Long Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) is a scientifically supported method to calculate the 15-year, time-weighted average R-value of roof insulation. All Polyiso manufacturers of the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA) have adopted the LTTR method as the exclusive means to measure thermal performance of permeable-faced Polyiso roof insulation. PIMA Polyiso manufacturers have certified LTTR-value products verified by the QualityMarkcm Program.


What is QualityMark? 








The PIMA QualityMark Certification program is a voluntary program that allows Polyiso manufacturers to obtain independent, third-party certification for the Long Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) values of their Polyiso insulation products. Polyiso is the only insulation to be certified by this unique program for its LTTR value. The program is administered by FM Global and was developed by the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA) based on work done at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and CAN/ULC- S770.


What are the environmental benefits of Polyiso insulation?

Polyiso insulation is an ideal choice for green building design, offering:

• Reduced fossil fuel consumption. 

Well-insulated buildings reduce the need for energy, thereby reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. BOMA currently represents roughly 9 billion square feet of roofing area. Reducing energy consumption by just 10 percent in these roofs is equal to planting 344,922,103 trees - a huge reduction in atmospheric CO2. The planting of these trees would also :

Generate 10.7 trillion dollars of oxygen

Control 10.8 trillion dollars worth of soil erosion

Recycle 12.9 trillion dollars worth of water

Provide 21.4 trillion dollars worth of air pollution control

It would also be the equivalent of removing 42.7 million cars off the road for one year.

• Highest Thermal Efficiency

Polyiso is the most thermally efficient insulation available in the marketplace, as determined using Long Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) values, a 15 year time-weighted R-value. In addition, members of PIMA participate in a third party certification program – QualityMark – to validate these predicted thermal values. QualityMark is a voluntary program administered by FM Global, one of the nation's most dependable testing organizations

• Zero Ozone Depletion Potential

All PIMA Polyiso manufacturer members produce rigid foam board with third-generation, zero ozone-depleting blowing agents. All Polyiso products are now HCFC-free and CFC-free.

• Zero Global Warming Potential

All PIMA Polyiso manufacturing members produce rigid foam board with zero global warming potential blowing agents. This quality is critical as the impact of climate change is acknowledged as a worldwide environmental concern.

• Recycled Content

Virtually all Polyiso insulation is manufactured using recycled material. The percentage of the recycled material by weight depends on the individual manufacturer and the thickness of the product. Many facers on Polyiso products contain up to 100 percent recycled materials.

ROOFTEC-LLC has been installing commercial roofing systems for over 30 years. We have the solutions you are looking for if you desire a new commercial roof or need a re-roof. ROOFTEC-LLC only uses the best products and installation practices to insure you have a worry free commercial roof. For more information visit us at. www.rooftec-llc.com.