Foam board boiler insulation ... how much do I need?

 
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SMITTY
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 11:36 am

The older I get, the more my mathing skills head straight down the shitter. :o :lol: I guess that's what a 4-decade long party will do to a brain. 12 years of public schooling was just a giant waste of time ...

Trying to figure out how many 4'x8' sheets of foam board I need to cover the sides and top of my EFM520 Highboy. I always thought you just multiply length x width. 4x8 = 32 sq. ft.. Easy enough.

Problem for me is, I measured in inches. When I do the same thing with my inch measurements, then add them all together (sides x2, front/back x2, top) I come up with 4103.5 sq. inches. Seems high. Turning that into square feet, I'm CLEARLY doing it wrong. I figured you just divide that number by 12. Well that ain't right!! :lol:

So my measurements are 35-3/8" x 25" for the front / back, 35-3/8" x 33" for both sides, and 32.5" x 25" for the top.

Is one 4x8 sheet enough? Doesn't seem like it to me ... :?

I'm looking at Home Depot's RMAX Pro Select board - seems to have the highest R-value for a given thickness. It's a bit pricey, so I'd like to know ahead of time how much I need. Thanks fellers!

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RMAX-Pro-Select-R-Mat ... /313501510


 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 11:44 am

You divide the square inches by 144 (12”x12”) to get square feet.

You can do it with one sheet if you don’t mind having a bunch of seams, but 2 sheets will make for a cleaner job. I am sure you can find a home for anything leftover.

 
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Post by Retro_Origin » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 12:14 pm

Better option is just spray the heck out of it with great stuff cans, no math that way! Just lots of money...

 
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 12:43 pm

Ahh, thanks Rob. I think I knew that at some point in my life. Knowledge long since lost, lol!

I need some of those cans to block all the daylight coming through the fieldstone in a few sections. I did it 20 years ago when we first moved in, so looks like I need to do that again. Not a bad idea covering the whole thing in foam. Won't be pretty, but it would work.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 1:00 pm

I would use foil faced foam and tape the seams with foil tape. If you use 1” foam you will be able to put the EFM covers on it.

 
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 2:17 pm

Ahh, good to know. Thanks!

Still on the fence if I want to even deal with that jigsaw puzzle. I've got all the covers out in the barn. Looks to me like a huge PITA to install, only to have to take it all apart at the end of every heating season for cleaning, or for any maintenance. Looking like something I don't want to get into. Not quite sure what I'll do with all of that. It'll probably end up in the loft - I'll let the next guy worry about it after I'm at room temperature, lol. :lol:

 
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 3:16 pm

Gottcha Jon!!!! :)


 
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 4:18 pm

Lucky he did not measure in centimeters .. no one would know how much then


12 in = ft

Use the units to insure correct calculation...

48 inch width
96 inch length

Area = L * W

48 in times 96 in = 4608 in^2

12 in = 1 ft

12 in/ft =1
and
ft/12in = 1

anything times one = anything

Just multiply by 1 multiple times to convert

value to convert -- times one ----and times one again
(4608 in^2) * (ft/12 in) * (ft / 12 in) recalling (ft/12in) = 1

= 4608 in^2 * ft * ft / in * in * 12 * 12

Inches cancel

4608 ft^2 / 12 times 12
4608ft^2/144
32 ft^2 or 32 sq.ft.

Find it in inch-foots !

4608 in^2 = 4608 in^2 times 1 ft / 12 inches = 384 in-feet heehee just use that (in-feet) for area from now on and confuse the crappo out of folks

 
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 5:56 pm

:? :? :? That just cooked me. I can do nothing but stare at my screen and drool ... :lol:

 
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 5:57 pm

freetown fred wrote:
Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 3:16 pm
Gottcha Jon!!!! :)
:lol: Hey Fred!

 
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Post by lincolnmania » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 6:09 pm

Did mine with one sheet but i dont have a 520 highboy.

 
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Feb. 07, 2023 6:12 pm

From the square footage calculation, there should be enough to cover mine with one sheet. It may get complicated with where the cuts need to be, though. Would definitely be easier with 2 sheets, but at $35 each before tax, I'll probably just grab one and a can of spray foam.

 
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Aug. 01, 2023 1:04 am

Update, since I forgot to MONTHS back ...

I was short maybe a 8" x 2' section - I taped it off with painters tape, and filled it with expandable foam. :lol: Problem solved, and saved me $30.
IMG_8380.jpeg
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Aug. 01, 2023 7:52 am

Using everything but the oink Jon!!!!! :lol:

 
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Aug. 01, 2023 12:04 pm

Indeeeeed!! :D

It works great, though! At this time 2 years ago I was under a half tank having filled up around the same time, just keeping that small stoker boiler warm with no insulation. Keeping this behemoth at 140° so far this summer, I'm just above a half tank still.

I'll take it! :yes:


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