Insulating Poultry Houses for Air Sealing and Energy Efficiency
Synopsis:
- Reduced energy costs by 25%
- More consistent temperature throughout the house
- Fewer fans required to achieve desired static pressure
The Problem
"The more control producers have over air temperature, air quality and energy usage, the more control
they will have over their paycheck at the end of the growout. In order to control air temperature, air
quality, and energy usage, it is crucial to control how much fresh air enters the house as well as how it
enters the house. This means the house must be tight, because in a loose house, it is very difficult to
control anything."
The University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences conducted a study on a
broiler farm to demonstrate the effects of air sealing and improved house tightness. The study was
conducted on a farm with two 40' x 400' broiler houses. The amount of air leakage was estimated by
conducting a static pressure test. The side wall and tunnel inlets were closed, then one 48" fan was turned
on and the static pressure was measured. The static pressure created by the one 48" fan was found to be
approximately 0.03" in both houses (as measured by the vent opening), indicating that there was well over
20 square feet of leakage in each house.
The Solution - Air Sealing with Icynene®
An examination of the houses determined that the primary sources of leakage were the gaps around the
boards in between the trusses on the side walls and cracks along the ridge of the house.
The area between the trusses at the top of the side walls, as well as the ridge were treated in one of the
houses with approximately a two foot wide swath of Icynene® insulation foam.
Testing was then conducted to determine:
- Reduction in air leakage
- Reduction in heating fuel consumption
- Temperature variation between pad and inlet ends of the houses
- Number of fans required to achieve a 2" opening in the vents
The Icynene® Insulated House:
- Saved money with lower energy costs. A 25% savings in this case.
- Maintained a more consistent temperature throughout the house
- Saved money by reducing the number of fans required to achieve desired static pressure.
"With fuel savings in the winter and cooler houses during the summer,
there is little doubt that growers with loose houses can significantly
increase their profit by improving house tightness"
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