Need help with insulating steel columns

10 years ago

I have a major issue that was not addressed at the design phase of the home (grr): there are square steel columns at several of the corners of the house to which windows are mounted. The steel creates (duh) a major thermal bridge. Believe me, I'm kicking myself for not recognizing this pre-construction! We are in Texas, so that means we have smoking hot steel in the corners of the house radiating heat inside the home. I know this was a mistake, but it's where we are now.

Suggestions have been to mount foam-back metal panels on the exterior of the steel, but this will be a messy and ugly fix.

Does anyone have creative solutions?

Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

just_janni

10 years ago

You really don't have much choice - you either need to do insulation or "exsulation". You can't add a thermal break without cutting the column and thinking that's not possible. Foaming inside it won't do anything. So you have to stop the heat from entering the outside of the column and that means foam board on the outside of the column and then trying to make it as unobtrusive as possible.

I love the look of the corner window, but for this exact reason, we set our corner windows back and not get a true 90 degree window. Sorry.

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Comments (6)

millworkman
10 years ago
What she ^^^^^^^ said.
alitx99 thanked millworkman
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Phil Kaufman
7 years ago
Have the same problem x 6, I found 1/4" thin radiant barrier type attic insulation to wrap both inside and outside of the columns (use contact adhesive) and then cover with break metal so they match the aluminum color of the windows.
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Virgil Carter Fine Art
7 years ago
I don't know if this would work, but you might contact a spray foam insulating firm and ask if periodically spaced holes could be drilled in the steel column, from top to bottom on the inside face of each column, and spray foam the inside of the column.

Just a crazy thought...
worthy
7 years ago
On-point thread here. Posters note that the conductivity of steel around any interior insulation makes it a waste of time and money.
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
7 years ago
There's no question that insulating the exterior facing on exterior walls is a good idea.

But that's probably not practical for the exposed steel corner column in the OP's photo is it?