Photo: Jill Burrow

What materials are bad insulators?

Insulators or bad conductors are materials that do not allow electricity to easily pass through them. Atoms in such material have tightly bound electrons, which prevent the flow of electric current. Examples of bad conductors include - Wood, Rubber, Glass, Sand, etc.

vedantu.com - Poor Conductors of Electricity - Learn Definition, Facts & Examples

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Why is it said not to plug a metal object like a fork into an electric socket? That is because you can get an electric shock, but how and why is that possible? Have you ever wondered why some materials can pass on an electric current to the next object while other materials can’t?

Materials that can easily conduct electricity or material that allow electricity to easily pass through them are known as conductors. Metal is an example of a good conductor. Since metal allows electricity to pass through it easily, when a metal object is plugged into an electric socket, the electricity passes through it, and the person holding the object receives an electrical shock. Wood is one of the poorest conductors of electricity.

Conductors and Insulators

Conductors vs Insulators

Conductors allow electricity to easily pass through them. Substances known as insulators are materials that do not allow electricity to pass through them easily or at all.

Conductors - Metals, water, humans

Insulators - Rubber, wood, plastic

Conductors

How does a conductor allow electricity to flow through it? In materials such as metals, which make one of the best conductors, there is an easy flow of ions and electrons once a voltage is applied. This easy flow of ions from atom to atom allows the metal to conduct electricity.

Conductors have a very low resistance to electric current.

Insulators or Bad Conductors

Atoms in materials such as rubber have tightly bound electrons, which prevent the flow of electricity. Insulators or Bad/Poor conductors, thus, are materials that do not allow free and easy flow of ions and electrons from atom to atom. Most non-metals make bad conductors as this easy flow of ions is not possible. Poor Conductors of electricity have a high resistance to electric current. Have you ever seen electric wires? These wires are made of metals such as copper, which are great conductors to allow an electric current to flow. But these copper wires are often covered with rubber which is a poor conductor of electricity to prevent anyone from getting an electric shock when they come in contact with the wire.

Rubber Insulated Wires

Why are Covalent Compounds Generally Poor Conductors of Electricity?

Covalent compounds are molecules that are made up of more than one atom pair sharing valence electrons. These compounds have covalent bonds. Examples of such compounds are Oxygen, Nitrogen, etc. These covalent compounds are bad conductors of electricity as these molecules are made by atoms sharing electrons. Thus, there are no free electrons left to conduct electricity.

Interesting Facts about Insulators

Covalent compounds are bad conductors of electricity.

High temperatures can make good conductors not conduct electricity well.

Dielectrics are insulating materials, which when placed in an electric circuit, have a polarising effect (positive charges move toward the electric field and negative charges move in the opposite direction of the electric field). Substances that are bad conductors of heat are often bad conductors of electricity also.

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What is the most mold resistant insulation?

Stone wool insulation offers excellent drying potential and does not promote mold growth.

rockwool.com - Designing With Mold and Mildew Resistant Insulation - Rockwool

Energy efficiency has become a key objective in today’s built environment. It’s an important goal, given that buildings currently consume 30 percent of the world’s energy use, and it’s estimated that up to 30 percent of that is wasted. To address the issue, architects and designers are looking to improve energy performance by increasing building insulation levels and creating tighter building envelopes. Both are important strategies that can lead to improved comfort and durability, reduced environmental impact, and long-term energy savings over the life of the building. That said, high-performance envelopes can bring their own set of challenges, especially if moisture issues arise. Why? Higher levels of insulation can lead to less energy transfer through the building envelope which slows or prevents drying of any moisture present in the wall assembly. In addition, tighter envelopes can result in higher concentrated air leakage areas. Without adequate air ventilation, this can lead to mold, bacterial growth and rot, which ultimately can impact the durability and safety of the structure and the health and wellbeing of its occupants. However, it is possible to effectively prevent mold if you understand the fundamentals. That’s where mold- and mildew-resistant insulation and other water-resistant building materials should be considered with every project to create a healthy and productive living environment. This article is structured in five sections beginning with what is mold and what causes mildew, working into preventing mold in your indoor environment, a case study on resilient building practices, the codes and standards you need to know, and finally, mold and mildew proof insulation solutions.