Insulating quilts from Th%*nes

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Thermal Resistance up to 1.455m²/kW

I really like those two little words 'up to'. In real layman's terms that means 'you ain't not never gonna get better than that, but it could be a lot worse!

Typical hype advertising. I would think.
 
Camping Roll Mat

I'm planning to use an old camping roll mat. I don't know what the thermal efficiency is but it's kept me warm when sleeping on the cold floor several times. They can cost as £3 from Tesco. It can be cut into 460mm squares and three layers will fill the void left by the 30mm spacers under a Thornes roof nicely.
 
I do see that the one i got from Screw fix says:

Thermal Resistance up to 1.455m²/kW

The one Itma is referring to says:

a thermal resistance of 5.0 m2K/W

so i guess they have scaled down there claim to just under 1/3

Those are two different products, The first You showed is a simple 4mm bubble wrap with foil coating on either side...about £2 per m2

The second is a multi foil, at about £10 per m2.

Note the price difference, you get what you pay for. (or do you?)
 
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I'm planning to use an old camping roll mat. I don't know what the thermal efficiency is but it's kept me warm when sleeping on the cold floor several times. They can cost as £3 from Tesco. It can be cut into 460mm squares and three layers will fill the void left by the 30mm spacers under a Th**nes roof nicely.

that 30mm is to allow any mosture above the crown to vent through the roof side vents, i think a 30mm vented space produces a better moisture leval in the hive than filing it with insulation
 
Getting back to the original mentioned product, I purchased a few a couple of years ago before I knew much more about beekeeping and he many alternatives available from non-beekeeping suppliers.

Can't say that I really noticed a difference, although I never did any control experiments with them. I have however stuck them on the hives that I didn't have enough kingspan (or which ever version it is I bought last year) to cover.

I will probably replace them with kingspan when I get round to calling at the diy shop again.

As mentioned earlier they are much thinner and easier to store when not in use and double sided (silver one side for use supposedly in summer to reflect some of the heat away and black on the other side for use in winter to absorb any heat). Can't exactly see that they work in reflecting or absorbing heat that much when they are on top of the crown board but under a roof!

My only guess is that they may provide a little insulation to the top of the crown board to hopefully reduce or prevent as much temperature difference and therefore condensation.
 
I have deeper roofs (my own build) which will easily allow 50 mm of EPS insulation over the solid 9mm ply crownboards (which don't need to be water permeable, as my hive ventilation is all via the OMF).

I might use kingspan if I found some laying around and legally looking for a home.

RAB
googled Kingspan and heritage houde org states Kingspan is made from horrible petroleum derivatives which are about the most Non-Green, Toxic and un-environmental things you could ever use. ... Kingspan (or ANY foam based boards ) attracts condensation. So would this not cause harm in a hive?
 
. ... Kingspan (or ANY foam based boards ) attracts condensation. So would this not cause harm in a hive?
Condensation occurs where moist air comes into contact with air, or a surface, which is at a lower temperature. 50mm of Kingspan should be enough to prevent that from happening. If your against using it I suggest you try wool. You should be able to pick up fleece quite cheaply although you will need rather a lot to be the equivalent of 50mm 'foam based boards".
 
Condensation occurs where moist air comes into contact with air, or a surface, which is at a lower temperature. 50mm of Kingspan should be enough to prevent that from happening. If your against using it I suggest you try wool. You should be able to pick up fleece quite cheaply although you will need rather a lot to be the equivalent of 50mm 'foam based boards".
I have a friend who tried wool. Even a super crammed full of it wasn’t as effective as 50mm of PIR
 
Kingspan or any rigid insulation board is good but only if it's a close fit to the crown board, because any gaps underneath and around the edges just allow convection currents to remove heat from the crown board negating the full effect of the insulation. So any gaps there should be sealed or filled.
 
googled Kingspan and heritage houde org states Kingspan is made from horrible petroleum derivatives which are about the most Non-Green, Toxic and un-environmental things you could ever use. ... Kingspan (or ANY foam based boards ) attracts condensation. So would this not cause harm in a hive?

I never actually needed to find any Celotex/Recticel to recycle and my EPS sheets are still serviceable. I later changed to permanently fixing the insulation into the roof. They should last another 30 years?

So, overall, economical, long-lasting, no condensation (none there from the inside of the hive - solid crownboards), helps reduce winter colony losses, may keep the hive cooler in the summer, no maintenance required. No contact with any bees (above the solid crownboard, so cannot harm the colony - only help it).

I suggest you look on better, less whacky, internet sites, think, and make more meaningful/accurate comments? Is this why you still tout an L plate on your avatar?
 
I never actually needed to find any Celotex/Recticel to recycle and my EPS sheets are still serviceable. I later changed to permanently fixing the insulation into the roof. They should last another 30 years?

So, overall, economical, long-lasting, no condensation (none there from the inside of the hive - solid crownboards), helps reduce winter colony losses, may keep the hive cooler in the summer, no maintenance required. No contact with any bees (above the solid crownboard, so cannot harm the colony - only help it).

I suggest you look on better, less whacky, internet sites, think, and make more meaningful/accurate comments? Is this why you still tout an L plate on your avatar?
Is this why you still tout an L plate on your avatar?
CLASSIC Tracter man.... it not an L plate.. its what the "new" site format looks like!!

Chons da
 
For a given space you are not going to beat PIR, without paying very silly money. A kingspan/cellotex roof with the edges protected by foil and possibley a sheet of correx for a crownboard(easier to peel off if the beggars propolise and will take damage and not let the beggars burrow) and a sheet of correx on the top to dissuade birds pecking and you are done. If you have a wooden hive body the next thing is probably either a solid insulating floor and/or strips of correx resting on the top bars.
 
Easiest is 25mm thick polystyrene at £8.50 for a big sheet from Wickes. Cut to size to fit tightly into your roof all year round using a bit f No more nails to hold it in place. Not keen on calotex or kingspan. Any leakage or condensation and it is a sponge.

One thing to remember is that insulation works two ways. In winter it keeps the heat in and in summer when it gets very hot (and we have that more commonly) it keeps the heat out. I have often wondered how much a metal roof contributes to the heat of a hive in the summer. They are tough but .......... any comments? I use roofs made from old pallet boards (free) and then roofing felt with roofing nails. And of course that insulation. Last for years with care.
 

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