ASTM Standards for Radiation Heat & Water in the Industrial Environment

Radiant Barrier Performance

• The energy absorbed through the barrier as heat is called heat gain. This reduces the energy required to cool a building. Radiant barriers can reflect internally generated heat back inside the building. Energy required to heat the building despite the radiant barrier is called heat loss. ASTM C1313 defines the standard specifications for sheet radiant barriers in building construction. ASTM C1313 does not specify the specific materials used to create radiant barrier. ASTM C1313 requires that you test the radiant barrier to measure how well it reflects heat, water vapor transmission, flammability, corrosiveness, tear resistance and how well it adheres to a surface.

Radiant Barrier Installation

• ASTM C1744 gives the standard practices for installing radiant barriers in commercial and industrial buildings. Proper installation requires adequate heat transfer around lighting to prevent the trapping of moisture, which could cause fires around electrical wiring. Moisture transfer allows water to escape through the radiant barrier to the outside. ASTM C1744 requires the outer surface of the radiant barrier system to have an emittance of 0.1 watts per square meter or less. ASTM C1158 defines the standard practices and uses of radiant barrier systems in residential buildings. ASTM C1340 is the standard for estimating heat gain or loss through radiant barriers using a computer program in residential and industrial applications.

Fire Safety

• ASTM E162 tests the flammability of materials when exposed to a radiant heat source. The radiant heat source mimics the flammability of materials if exposed to fire. ASTM C1485 is the standard test method for testing attic roof insulation's thermal flow properties. A radiant heat source is placed near the exposed attic insulation. The radiant heat unit's temperature is raised until the insulation catches fire. This test determines the temperature at which insulation will catch fire is exposed to heat from a building fire. ASTM E970 exposes attic floor insulation to a radiant heat source to determine the critical temperature at which a flame spreads the fastest. This information is used to estimate how attic fires will spread at a given temperature.

Thermal Performance

• Thermal performance measures how well material conducts heat. ASTM C1363 tests the thermal performance of building materials using a hot box apparatus. The hot box apparatus showers radiant heat upon the material sample as the temperature rise inside is monitored and recorded. ASTM C1363 replaced standard ASTM C236 in 2001. ASTM C236 was the standard test method for steady-state thermal performance of building assemblies. Testing for the obsolete procedure was done using a guarded hot box.