Why polyurethane is a superior insulation

Why Polyurethane is the best Insulation for your cooler/freezer doors

 Cold storage is something that people have been working to perfect for centuries and we've certainly come a long way. Rather than a root cellar we now have computerized cooling rooms with temperature control, electronic doors and solid cooling walls. But no matter how well a cooling room is built and equipped, without the right insulated cold storage door it will not perform as designed.

The Insulation of a door is critical to its performance. Polyurethane is a relatively new product, roughly around 50 years. Polyurethane was produced to replace the shortfalls of expanded polystyrene. Below are 5 reasons why Polyurethane is superior as insulation for your cooler/freezer doors.  

R- Value - Polyurethane is the highest rated insulation in the world. Per inch of insulation it has no equal. Polyurethane is a closed-cell foam insulation material that contains a low-conductivity gas (usually hydro chlorofluorocarbons or HCFC) in its cells.  Polyurethane has an R-Value OF R-7 to R-8 per inch.

Moisture Resistance - With all the problems of mold and mildew, moisture resistance is today a very important factor. Polyurethane has one of the lowest moisture permeability ratings of any product manufactured for the building industry today. Insulation materials made of rigid polyurethane foam (PUR/PIR) do not absorb moisture from the air. Due to their closed cell structure, they do not absorb or transport water, i.e. there is no capillary action.

Density - The density of a product will determine the strength of it. Polyurethane has a density of 2.2lb. (see the article why EMS Doors uses a 10# polyurethane foam)

Fire Resistance - The polyurethane is a UL Class 1 rated foam. This means that polyurethane is not a source for fire. On its own, polyurethane will not burn. When left on its own, it will extinguish itself. A Class 1 rating is the highest rating a building product can obtain. Also, polyurethane is a thermal-set plastic. This means, that it will not melt. Polyurethane is not affected until temperatures reach 1000 degrees and at that time it will only char. Polyurethane has a distinct advantage.

Chemical Resistance - Polyurethane is resistant to most counter chemicals.

Because polyurethane foam insulation is so effective, even under the most extreme environmental conditions, it reduces energy costs and related fossil fuel emissions. This is why polyurethane foam is the most common insulation used in doors for buildings with critical environments such as:

· Freezers and cold storage buildings

· Arctic climate buildings and test facilities.

· Clean rooms and food process structures

· Climate test structures

Even NASA is using Polyurethane in space shuttles as an insulation material!