Aluminum foil, also called tin foil, makes an excellent insulator, and in some situations, it works better than materials like cotton or paper. Aluminum foil is not best for every situation, though, so using it correctly is an important part of saving energy.
Adding insulation to your home is an easy way to save on energy costs. Aluminum foil, also called tin foil, makes an excellent insulator, and in some situations, it works better than materials like cotton or paper. Aluminum foil is not best for every situation, though, so using it correctly is an important part of saving energy.
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Identification
Simply sheets of pliable aluminum that are less than 0.2 mm thick, aluminum foil has several household uses. Some companies manufacture long, stronger strips specifically for insulation, but you can also use typical aluminum foil to insulate. If the foil is particularly thin, companies will sometimes laminate it with plastic, paper or other materials to make it stronger.
Benefits
Because aluminum foil reflects light, it can be used for insulation, especially in areas that need to be guarded against heat. When it is used with other materials, it can be used to warm an area, too. Other materials such as paper and cotton, do not have the reflectivity that aluminum foil does, so when the sun is bearing down, they will not keep it out as well. An area that is already hot will be kept hot by aluminum foil, as it will hold in hot air. Paper and cotton will release heat at a quicker rate than aluminum foil. Aluminum foil can keep things like wires or pipes insulated, as it traps air when it is wrapped around an object. This can be achieved with several objects, though, and not just aluminum foil.
Using Aluminum Foil
Insulating a room in the summertime with aluminum foil can help keep sunlight out of the room and lower temperatures. Completely cover all windows with aluminum foil and secure it with a heavy-duty tape such as duct tape. The shiny surface will reflect the sunlight's rays. You can also insulate cold food when it will be near the sun. Wrapping a cold soda can, for instance, with aluminum foil will keep it chilled. Adding a layer of bubble paper between the aluminum foil and soda can will keep it cooler for longer.
Considerations
If you would like to insulate something in a dark place, such as lunch box, another material such as cotton or paper could work just as well as aluminum foil. As a matter of fact, cotton is regularly used for insulation, as it is environmentally friendly. Because aluminum foil reflects light, when it is in a dark place, there is no light for it to reflect, so it will work similarly to other materials.
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Bubble wrap is a transparent plastic packaging product that consists of small spheres of air bubbles, which protect fragile items. One of the most widely used forms of protective shipping, bubble wrap is a $3.5 billion dollar industry that has gained recognition for its disadvantages. Generic bubble wrap's negative aspects include the product's biodegradability, disposable means, storage and fire hazards.
Toxic Waste
Until 2008, bubble wrap was made using plastic polymer film. The material is considered ecologically toxic, as it takes hundreds of years to disintegrate in landfills. Alternatives are available that can break down within 90 days, though plastic polymer film is still used by a majority of brands.
Environmental Problems
Because plastic polymer film breaks down slowly, bubble wrap causes a significant environmental problem by taking up space within landfills worldwide. Many cities--such as Manchester, New Hampshire--have created recycling programs for bubble wrap, which allows for approximately 21 percent of the city's trash to be recovered through recycling.
Storage Difficulties
Bubble wrap's bulky formation causes storage problems both in homes and company workrooms. Often stored around a cardboard spool, bubble wrap's plastic air bubbles take up unnecessary space. This packaging material is also considered too immense for protecting smaller packages, including those shipped in a standard envelope.
Flammable Hazards
While it takes 500 degrees of heat for generic bubble wrap to become flammable and 200 degrees to melt, the product can catch on fire easily and quickly due to the mix of plastic spheres and oxygen. Bubble wrap can also give off irritating vapors that cause breathing problems if inhaled. To prevent bubble wrap from causing a significant fire, it should be kept in an area protected with automatic sprinklers, and away from flame, sparks and high heat.
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