Question

Any foam within the house must be covered with a thermal barrier of ___?

1) Polyethylene sheeting
2) Fiberglass batt
3) Gypsum board
4) d) Concrete

Answer 1

Foam within the house must be covered with a thermal barrier of gypsum board, not fiberglass batt, to meet building codes and provide fire resistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

Any foam within the house must be covered with a thermal barrier of gypsum board. Options such as polyethylene sheeting, fiberglass batt, and concrete, although useful in various applications, the standard thermal barrier specified by building codes for various foam insulating products, including polystyrene foam, is typically gypsum board.

This is due to its fire resistance and ability to slow the spread of heat and flames in case of a fire. It is important to understand that while fiberglass batt is an excellent insulator, used to prevent heat transfer between the inside of a building and the outside environment, it is not a thermal barrier in itself. It works to insulate by trapping many small pockets of air (as do materials like wool and goosedown feathers), taking advantage of the air's poor thermal conductivity to create a high R-factor, which measures the material's insulating capabilities.