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A thermal break is a material or trapped dead air that slows or stops the transfer of heat between two materials. It is used in insulation, clothing, windows, and buildings to save energy and prevent heat loss or gain.
A thermal break is a low conductivity element placed between any two materials in an attempt to stop or slow the transfer of heat from one to the other. The principle is based on the second law of thermodynamics formulated by the Irish physicist William Thomson, Lord Kelvin. All matter will transfer heat, and the transfer will naturally move from the hotter to the colder material or area. Any material that prevents this transfer is a thermal break. It could be an actual material, like insulation, or it could be trapped dead air; the function remains the same.
The scientific principle, which existed before it was identified, is proven in everyday life. When someone picks up a pot holder, they are using a thermal cut. The quilted pad prevents heat transfer from a hot pot handle to the cook’s cooler hand and prevents a nasty burn. Layering your clothing means layering your thermal breaks, which is why several thin layers can feel cozier than one thick. Between each layer of clothing is an air gap that acts as a thermal break to prevent the person bundled under those layers from losing body heat.
When the outside air is cold in winter, houses and offices with old windows are cold and difficult to heat because the internal heat passes through the window panes. Newer, more energy-efficient windows have two panes of glass separated by a small gap filled with air or an inert gas. Air or gas doesn’t transmit heat as quickly as a single pane of glass, so rooms will stay warmer for longer with less stress on the heating system. The air pocket between the glass panes is the thermal break.
Uninsulated houses and buildings experience enormous heat loss through their walls and roofs during the winter months. Modern structures are built with insulation in the walls and between the ceilings and roofs. Spray foam is the newest insulating material that provides a thermal break between the inside and outside of a home or office, but other, less expensive options are available.
Concrete, the most used building material in the world, is very dense and heat doesn’t pass through it quickly. Modern concrete buildings feature double concrete walls with a thermal break between them, usually a foam type. This construction method gives the building both strength and great insulation qualities.
In areas where heat is more of an issue than cold, the system works the same way, just in reverse. Placing foam, fiberglass bats, or blown cellulose between interior and exterior walls and in attics provides thermal breaks and saves energy. Thermal break windows and doors also help keep the hot air out and reduce your utility bills.
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