Insulating your hangar

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Does anyone insulate their hangar?

Although, I rent my hangar I have had the same hangar for 6 years so I might as well improve it.

Benefits of insulating beside it being easier to heat or cool in the summer, keeps dust down.

It might not make sense just for preheating the airplane but for those of us who are airport bums and spend a bunch of time tinkering, it extends the months that we can hang out and tinker around our hangar.

I am thinking of spray foam insulation which also cuts the wind/dust down. Just wondering if anyone has done this?

 

[N801BH]

Does anyone insulate their hangar?

Although, I rent my hangar I have had the same hangar for 6 years so I might as well improve it.

Benefits of insulating beside it being easier to heat or cool in the summer, keeps dust down.

It might not make sense just for preheating the airplane but for those of us who are airport bums and spend a bunch of time tinkering, it extends the months that we can hang out and tinker around our hangar.

I am thinking of spray foam insulation which also cuts the wind/dust down. Just wondering if anyone has done this?

Have you priced the spray foam option ??

 

[Tom-D]

I love my heated hangar... sealed floor... gas heat... 5, 25 amp GFI outlets...Florescent lighting (with auto off) ... remote opening Bi-fold door...

which reminds me, off to work I go..

 

[gkainz]

Have you priced the spray foam option ??

I take it by your emoticon that it's considerably more expensive than sheets of foam insulation? Would standard batts of glass insulation work in a hangar? Wire tied or similar?

 

[jesse]

I just upgraded to a better hangar the other day. Cement floor, better lighting, electric bi-fold door. $80 something a month.

My old hangar wasn't so bad but had large sliding doors that were a hassle and would be no fun at all in the winter.

 

[N801BH]

I take it by your emoticon that it's considerably more expensive than sheets of foam insulation? Would standard batts of glass insulation work in a hangar? Wire tied or similar?

Yes and Yes.... it will be rather difficult to fasten standard batts to the structure. Since foam is a petroleum product the price of a barrel of oil kinda dictates cost.. When I bid building structures, generally the foam prices come in 2-3 times that of convential insulation..

 

[Bob Noel]

I just upgraded to a better hangar the other day. Cement floor, better lighting, electric bi-fold door. $80 something a month.

.

I hate you.

At KBED, the same hangar is over $600/month.

Actually, it's not even a cement floor, it's asphalt. One overhead light (a couple of 4' bulbs), and a duplex outlet.

And the grading allows water to pool in front of the bi-fold door...great for focusing the ice in front of the hangar.

I bailed on the hangar when they increased it from $505/month.

 

[murphey]

Because you rent, you need to check with the owners to find out what you're allowed to do. There's insurance & liability issues and possible county/city requirements. Go read your contract.

Yours Truly,
The Grinch.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

I just upgraded to a better hangar the other day. Cement floor, better lighting, electric bi-fold door. $80 something a month.

My old hangar wasn't so bad but had large sliding doors that were a hassle and would be no fun at all in the winter.

Can't even get an outside, uncovered, tiedown at KLOM for that.

 

[Badger]

Because you rent, you need to check with the owners to find out what you're allowed to do. There's insurance & liability issues and possible county/city requirements. Go read your contract.

Yours Truly,
The Grinch.

THIS .

 

[Piloto]

Bugs prefer insulated hangars. Yours will be the favorite one to nest.

José

 

[Dean]

I just upgraded to a better hangar the other day. Cement floor, better lighting, electric bi-fold door. $80 something a month.

My old hangar wasn't so bad but had large sliding doors that were a hassle and would be no fun at all in the winter.

The joys of living in the Mid-West, cheaper hangar rent and fuel prices.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Have you priced the spray foam option ??

Retail price is about $.45 per inch ft so 3" thick on 25x35x10 about 1200' x $1.35 plus the roof is 25x35x1/2 another 350' so maybe $500 total.

If I do 3" of R4=R12 open cell it works out to about $2000 or so.

BTW- one of my companies is a Spray Foam Insulation company. My cost might be a bit less.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Bugs prefer insulated hangars. Yours will be the favorite one to nest.

José

$3.85 box of Borax soap sprinkled around the edge of walls will keep all crawly bugs out or dead...

OH and by the way, Mice hate it too, they hate walking on it so it keeps them away as well. I keep mouse poison in my hangar and since the Borax I don't see the poison disappearing anymore.

 

[Apache123]

I hate you.

At KBED, the same hangar is over $600/month.

Actually, it's not even a cement floor, it's asphalt. One overhead light (a couple of 4' bulbs), and a duplex outlet.

And the grading allows water to pool in front of the bi-fold door...great for focusing the ice in front of the hangar.

I bailed on the hangar when they increased it from $505/month.

Wow, I was going to say I hate him, but then I guess my $350/mo at KUGN isn't that bad

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Wow, I was going to say I hate him, but then I guess my $350/mo at KUGN isn't that bad

I paid $138 most of the last 9 years; they got up to 187 and I moved to another airport same distance from my house for $120 with electric. My new field has 3 IA shops, one Engine rebuilder shop, Webco Comanche specialist, a college flight school and some minor commercial operations.

 

[N801BH]

Retail price is about $.45 per inch ft so 3" thick on 25x35x10 about 1200' x $1.35 plus the roof is 25x35x1/2 another 350' so maybe $500 total.

If I do 3" of R4=R12 open cell it works out to about $2000 or so.

BTW- one of my companies is a Spray Foam Insulation company. My cost might be a bit less.

You must buy the product DAMN cheap...

A few years back a good friend and customer wanted to foam the new construction and addition to the main house... He got 2 quotes and they were almost $100,000 .... He bought a Graco reactor with all the goodies and 40 ,55 gallons barrels of foam, 20 Part A and 20 Part B. We used all but 2 of each... He saved about 50 grand and has a almost brand new reactor to boot... Wanna buy it ?

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

You must buy the product DAMN cheap...

A few years back a good friend and customer wanted to foam the new construction and addition to the main house... He got 2 quotes and they were almost $100,000 .... He bought a Graco reactor with all the goodies and 40 ,55 gallons barrels of foam, 20 Part A and 20 Part B. We used all but 2 of each... He saved about 50 grand and has a almost brand new reactor to boot... Wanna buy it ?

I get a great rate. One of the best things I do is procurement.

As a matter of fact yes, I might want to buy another rig. Let me know the contact info and I will call him.

 

[AggieMike88]

I love my heated hangar... sealed floor... gas heat... 5, 25 amp GFI outlets...Florescent lighting (with auto off) ... remote opening Bi-fold door...

which reminds me, off to work I go..

Wow Tom... toss in a murphey bed, big screen TV and a beer fridge, and you'll never need to go home!

 

[write-stuff]

My hangar isn't heated, but it is completely insulted with rolled fiberglas. It does a good job of mitigating the hot and cold spikes. It's nice to walk into it when it's 30 degrees outside, but 50 degrees inside.

 

[murphey]

One side wall of my hangar is brick (end unit), the other side wall and the back wall are interior walls, and the roof is two layers with 4 in of foam in between. Many years ago the hangars had serious damage due to hail storms. It was easier ad cheaper just to lay down the foam and another layer of aluminum or whatever that repair. So the big heat sink/radiator is the east facing door. At 36 x 20 ft I'm really not interested in spending that kind of money for foam panels when I'm a renter. One 4x8 ft panel at Home Depot is almost $30.

Fiberglass roll is cheaper for a 40 ft x 15 in roll at about $20 but there's substantial work installing it so it doesn't fall down when the door goes up and down.

 

[flyingron]

My hangar is heated but only has ceiling fans for the summer (well, I do have a "movin cool" unit). I could never figure out why my garage (next door) got so darned hot and the hangar stayed cool. It was about a month until I remembered I had spray foamed the entire hangar envelope but hadn't bothered doing the garage (it is not heated).

Makes quite a difference even with the heat off.

 

[N801BH]

My hangar is heated but only has ceiling fans for the summer (well, I do have a "movin cool" unit). I could never figure out why my garage (next door) got so darned hot and the hangar stayed cool. It was about a month until I remembered I had spray foamed the entire hangar envelope but hadn't bothered doing the garage (it is not heated).

Makes quite a difference even with the heat off.

Yuppers..... In the project I spoke about the owner will not do anything unless it is the best and comes out perfect...... The roof of the detached garage /guest house 5000 sq feet of TJI's 11 7/8" rafters.. We filled them up with foam almost completely. Add to that 5/8 firerock and the ceiling is probably close to an R -80... 2X6 walls are filled too, they are R-30 or so.. Whole structure is heated with radient infloor heat fed by 2 Buderas boilers... Even with the frigid temps we get here in Jackson Hole his fuel bill for that and the other 6000SQ Feet of heated space is around a one benny a month...

Moral of the story is,,, if you can afford to foam a structure, DO IT....

The only drawback,, and it is a HUGE one for hangars is... Foam is flammable and most,if not all municipalities require it to be covered with 5/8 fireproof sheetrock.... Let a fire inspector into a structure with foam on the walls /roof that is uncovered and he/she will FREAK out. YMMV.

 

[skyflea]

Does anyone insulate their hangar?

Although, I rent my hangar I have had the same hangar for 6 years so I might as well improve it.

Benefits of insulating beside it being easier to heat or cool in the summer, keeps dust down.

It might not make sense just for preheating the airplane but for those of us who are airport bums and spend a bunch of time tinkering, it extends the months that we can hang out and tinker around our hangar.

I am thinking of spray foam insulation which also cuts the wind/dust down. Just wondering if anyone has done this?

Tony i got my hangar done with spray on foam and boy makes a difference ain't cheap but i can really fell the AC now on the Texas summer heat.
I got foam on the roof, pink fiber glass insulation then plywood painted with car paint for a shinny white finish. the spray foam was 14 thousand few years ago my hangar is 45x48.

 

[Lance F]

When I built my 60 x 50 hanger about 7 years ago, I had it insulated with fiberglass. Walls and ceiling. We don't have any installed heat, but a 150,000btu kerosene heater warms it up very quickly in winter. Makes it nice to hang out and do plane maintenance.

 

[Tom-D]

Wow Tom... toss in a murphey bed, big screen TV and a beer fridge, and you'll never need to go home!

No need, we take the Motorhome over when we want to stay over night.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Yuppers..... In the project I spoke about the owner will not do anything unless it is the best and comes out perfect...... The roof of the detached garage /guest house 5000 sq feet of TJI's 11 7/8" rafters.. We filled them up with foam almost completely. Add to that 5/8 firerock and the ceiling is probably close to an R -80... 2X6 walls are filled too, they are R-30 or so.. Whole structure is heated with radient infloor heat fed by 2 Buderas boilers... Even with the frigid temps we get here in Jackson Hole his fuel bill for that and the other 6000SQ Feet of heated space is around a one benny a month...

Moral of the story is,,, if you can afford to foam a structure, DO IT....

The only drawback,, and it is a HUGE one for hangars is... Foam is flammable and most,if not all municipalities require it to be covered with 5/8 fireproof sheetrock.... Let a fire inspector into a structure with foam on the walls /roof that is uncovered and he/she will FREAK out. YMMV.

For about the same price I can put R12 of Closed Cell. Closed cell meets code for no drywall as it has a 15min ignition barrier. Open cell has to be treated or drywalled.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

When I built my 60 x 50 hanger about 7 years ago, I had it insulated with fiberglass. Walls and ceiling. We don't have any installed heat, but a 150,000btu kerosene heater warms it up very quickly in winter. Makes it nice to hang out and do plane maintenance.

that is heck of a hangar. seems like you can put six planes in there if you lay them right.