Title: Why Thermal Bridging and Thermal Breaks Matter in Construction | ECHOtape
Headings: Why Thermal Bridging and Thermal Breaks Matter in Construction
Why Thermal Bridging and Thermal Breaks Matter in Construction
What is Thermal Bridging?
How to Prevent A Thermal Bridge
Common Ways to Reduce Thermal Bridging in Construction

Content: Energy prices tend to go up, so an investment in using less energy is an investment that pays bigger dividends every year. Another issue with thermal bridges in insulated walls is moisture accumulation. You can see it inside the house as dark stains that telegraph framing members. It happens on ceilings and in closets where a lot of framing gets mashed together. This is often called ‘ ghosting ‘ because the moist cool air attracts dust and forms dark lines on the ceiling which ‘ghost’ the joists. How to Prevent A Thermal Bridge
So, if thermal bridging acts as a pathway for heat to escape the building more rapidly, a thermal break, or thermal barrier, helps block that pathway. Scientifically speaking, it’s an “element of low thermal conductivity placed in an assembly to reduce or prevent the flow of thermal energy between conductive materials.” For example, insulated glazing is the thermal break for windows. The air or gas between the panes stops the conductive thermal energy from passing through the glass. In metal and wood-framed buildings, wrapping a building’s envelope with a layer of continuous insulation cuts off thermal bridging.