Pole Barn & Farm Building Insulation in Reading, PA

Pole barn and farm building insulation covers the steel pole buildings, shops, garages and older wood barns found across Berks County's farmland. A steel building has no cavities to fill, the metal goes cold fast, and warm, damp air condenses on it and drips. That rusts fasteners and soaks equipment. An older wood barn leaks air through every board joint.

Closed-cell foam on steel

Closed-cell spray foam sticks to clean, dry steel, insulates at R-5 to R-7 per inch per HomeGuide, and seals seams and fastener holes. It keeps warm air off the cold metal, which stops the drip. One layer does three jobs.

How thick

It depends on use. A cold storage building may only need enough foam to stop condensation. A heated workshop needs more. We ask how you heat and use the building and size the thickness to it. HomeGuide lists closed-cell at $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot installed.

Wood barns and shops

For wood-framed shops and converted barn spaces, we can foam the walls and roof from inside, or build out and insulate in other ways. Historic barns need care so the structure can still breathe.

Berks farm country

Berks County farmland runs from the East Penn Valley around Kutztown to the townships west and south of Reading. An Old Order Mennonite community has farmed near Fleetwood since 1949. Many farms have pole buildings, machine sheds and shops that benefit from insulation.

Codes

Agricultural buildings are often treated differently from homes under building codes, but a heated shop or a building with living space may not be. Check with your township. PPL and Met-Ed style utility programs generally exclude outbuildings, so plan on paying full price for farm buildings.

Timing

Foam needs to go on clean, dry steel within a working temperature range. In winter, an unheated building may need temporary heat. Many farmers schedule after harvest or in early spring.

Bank barns and stone buildings

Berks County is full of stone and wood bank barns. Insulating one turned into a shop or living space takes care: stone walls need to dry, and old timber framing should not be wrapped in a way that traps moisture. We usually insulate a framed interior space within the barn, or the roof, rather than the stone itself, and explain why.

Getting ready

We ask you to clear walls and move equipment where possible, and we mask doors, windows and anything that should not get foam. Get a free estimate