View Full Version : Mylar to insulate vehicles and other things
After much google-fu with little results I've found one use of mylar in a military-type application, and relatively few non-survival uses.
Being at Fort Polk...I have an interest in keeping my HMMWV interior temperature as low as possible, this may also help those among us who drive Jeep Wranglers, or have some shitty vehicle our in some remote location.
Insulating a HMMWV.
https://gear-report.com/diy-hmmwv-upgrade-installing-reflectix-roof-insulation-project-humvee-battlewagon
Garage door insulation, also found a video of someone using a space blanket.
https://www.*******.com/watch?v=OROTrjn1j9E
Has anyone here found any other uses for mylar insulation?
I'm curious if it would be an improvement for the handguard insulation material in an AK.
The Reflectix Roof Insulation site list their R-Value as 1.1
Not a spurt, but I think toilet paper is 1.2 (2 layer Charmins) :munchin
The gained value is in the air gap between the surfaces, effectively creating a thermal barrier. So, in that respect, any porous and non-porous material, when properly installed will create the barrier.
My $00.000002
Space blankets have little to no R-value. Their value is in trapping heat as a solid membrane with no airflow through the material. There may be some slight reflection of radiation, but the best use on a hummer would be to wallpaper it over the roof externally to reflect solar radiation.
The pool insulation is interesting, any encapsulated foam or fiber that can be attached and somewhat sealed around the edges would trap heat against the roof and potentially reduce Temps. You'll still have plenty of solar radiation coming through windows hitting the interior that will absorb heat.
Not sure if your talking issued or surplus personally owned.
Golf1echo
06-21-2018, 11:17
Good explanations on the mylar, it is a plastic film that has gotten more credit than is due on it's reflectivity capability. It is light weight and that is one of the reason you see it used so often.
Some of our end users from Ak brought their 8oz BTR ( breathable thermal reflective) Liners down to the NTC and used them on the roofs of their Hummers and claimed it helped, especially with all the radio equipment inside. I wished they sent images of that in use but we got a few of the training.
It can be a delicate balance to use passive strategies to over come some very active effects... sometimes it can be done very well.
I probably will not do justice to the PHD's that explained the science to me but I'll give it a shot the direct energy from the sun is coming in long wave radiation the reflected energy is in short wave energy... I think of a Tromb Wall in Architecture as an analogy. Our Breathable Thermal Reflective material is a polypropylene sub-straight that has been aluminized, aluminum is much more effective but the real work is done by the insulation, as said the air space).