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Super Therm® sound reduction by 50-68%

How does Super Therm Insulation Coating work?

For improved sound and acoustics, Super Therm® has a micron sized (not nano) ceramic compound that is so light weight and light in density that it cannot absorb heat and won’t vibrate when sound waves hits it either.

A wall not coated with Super Therm® has density and will vibrate when the sound waves hits it because it allows “sound continuation” due to the substance of the wall board which has density that vibrates.

A wall coated with Super Therm® contains a micron sized ceramic compound which “physically” doesn’t have the density to vibrate and therefore there is a reduction in sound vibration continuation. This is how Super Therm® reduces sound and improves acoustics.

Super Therm® was used in the Mitcham Cinema, South Australia on the walls internally which successful reduced sound transfer between the cinema rooms and also improved fire protection internally.

Super Therm® sounds reduction by 68%

letter head
Wisconsin, USA

Source: Eagle Coatings

August 25, 2000

Industrial Coatings Alliance Group Inc.
3900 Andrews Crossing
Rosewell, Georgia 30075
Attn. Mr. Dave Phillips

Re: Ultra Sound Testing Super Therm® Coated Trailers

Dear Dave

This letter is to inform you of our Ultra Sound test results. Stoughton Trailers Inc. is the only North American Trailer Manufacturer to utilize state of the art Ultra Sound techniques to provide leak free products to the Van Trailer and inter-modal Container market.

Our verification tests conducted on a Van Trailer with an aluminum roof coated with Super Therm shows that the unit prior to the first application of the Super Therm coating had an average decibel reading of 38. After the first application of Super Therm, the average decibel reading was 25 and after the second and final application of Super Therm, the average reading dropped to 12 decibels.

If you may need any further information, please contact me at 608-973-2605.

Sincerely,

William C. Torda
Manager Total Quality Management

Super Therm Acoustic & Sound Barrier

Super Therm 100Hz – 5000Hz frequency testing ASTM E90 and ASTM E413

ASTM E90 and ASTM E413 are essentially the same testing exemplified in IIC (Impact Insulation Class) Coefficient, which is related to the continuation of vibration waves of a specific type of sound, (impact conductance). Measurements are based upon preventing these vibrations or sound continuations.

The test to determine IIC is similar to the STC test. A tapping machine is machine is placed on the floor in the source room (must be second floor or above). The Acoustic Consultant will measure how loud the tapping machine is within the room using an SPL meter. Then, they’ll measure how loud the tapping machine is in the receive room (must be in the room directly below the machine) (source).

Super Therm® is a water-borne, ceramic-filled coating that has four ceramics chosen for insulation and sound reduction. Super Therm® blocks heat and sound by “Stopping The Vibration Continuance”!

A project, known to us as “721 Congress”, involves the use of ICF forms in the construction of a multi-story condominium project. We were informed by LiteForm International that the existing materials will offer an IIC factor of 47. Sound attenuation engineering is an accumulative process, therefore, Super Therm® offers a sound attenuation of 41 at 250 microns dry film thickness, would be accumulative to the existing 47 sound attenuation rating for a cumulative approximate total of IIC-88 on the IIC scale. In addition, we sometimes recommend using HSC or HPC products be applied to ICF polystyrene material prior to the Super Therm®.

  • Sound Reduction: STC (Sound Transmission Coefficient) – Rated 38-41 as per ASTM E 90. In the frequency range of 100Hz up to 5000Hz, we hit the 48-51 (which is what the interest level is for talking and normal activity.)
  • Stoughton Trailer Ultra Sound testing shows a 68% Reduction
  • Sound testing performed by Hot-Cold Air and Fire Control by Pat Saulson, PhD
  • Sound reduced an average of 50.2% by using Super Therm® on the interior walls of a house
Super Therm single exterior wall frequency
testing ASTM E90 and ASTM E413 – pdf
Super Therm exterior wall frequency block ASTM E90 and ASTM E413
Super Therm exterior and interior walls frequency
testing ASTM E90 and ASTM E413 – pdf

This system offers the consumer the following additional characteristics automatically:

  1. FM Approval (for insurance reduction)
  2. “0” Flame Spread
  3. High resistance to heat transfer
  4. Mould and Mildew resistance
  5. UL approval over foam
  6. Super Therm® is non-toxic and there is no off-gassing during a fire (tested by NASA research labs)

We believe this system to be extremely effective for the purpose of blocking sound as determined and meeting all specifications desired.

About the Acoustic Testing

Due to the heat blocking properties of Super Therm® we considered it also show acoustical insulation properties. In the first preliminary series of tests, a bedroom wall was painted with two coats of Super Therm®. Sound level comparisons from an outside air-conditioning unit were made between adjacent untreated bathroom wall and a Super Therm® painted bedroom wall. Sound meters were placed on the inside of each wall approximately four feet apart, separated by an interior wall. Both meters were located approximately six feet from the outside air-conditioning unit.

In the first series of tests, run for five days, monitors were programmed for five hour periods from 1 am to 6 am, a time when the internal noise level was assumed to be the lowest. The noises coming through the outside walls of the house were assumed to be predominantly from the air-conditioning unit cycling on and off and any ambient nocturnal sounds. A second test series was preformed in which the monitors were programmed for 24 hour periods, for four consecutive days when the house was empty.

The wall was painted on May 20th and sound reports were tracked beginning on May 28th, seven days after application (since Super Therm® requires a seven-day cure time). The sound meters used were designed for comparative purposes, using microphone impulses set on an arbitrary linear scale beginning at zero. Average sound levels for each day for the treated and untreated walls are contrasted in Table 1: Comparison of acoustical insulation ability between a Super Therm® treated wall and an untreated wall.

Table 1: Comparison of acountical insulation ability between a Super Therm treated wall and untreated wall

DayTime PeriodSuper Therm
(value range)
Wall
Mean
Untreated
(value range)
Wall
Mean
% Variance
28/55 hours(19-20)19.3(23-25)23.924%
31/55 hours(16-18)16.9(21-22)21.225%
1/65 hours(13-16)15.0(19-25)20.839%
2/65 hours(10-17)13.4(19-21)19.747%
3/65 hours(9-13)10.1(19-20)19.290%
10/624 hours(10-24)11.5(16-17)16.342%
11/624 hours(9-10)10.2(16)16.057%
12/624 hours(9-11)10.0(15-17)16.060%
13/624 hours(9-10)9.4(15-16)15.868%

Results indicate that Super Therm® has acountical insulation ability. Percent variances of effectiveness between test periods may be the result of noise generated within the house. Since Super Therm® is reflective by design, any noise occurring in the bedroom would be reflected within the room and transmitted to the microphone. This would result in a few excessively high readings in the 5 or 24-hour periods (most notably, the reading of 17 on 2/6, 13 on 13/6, and 24 on 10/6). High outliers were not noted for the untreated bathroom wall, all means fell close to the value ranges.

Since Super Therm® reflects sound, a better application for acoustical insulation would be to apply the ceramic to the exterior wall of the house so sound generated outside would be reflected away from the house, never penetrating the interior wall.

Its performance is consistent in dealing with how heat and sound waves travel and is not affected by age, moisture, or surface dirt. The four light-weight ceramic compounds contained in Super Therm® are designed to form a crystalline structure. This crystalline structure has very little density and is reflective in nature, so it is resistant to absorb sound or heat.

Quite simply, Super Therm® dampens sound waves before they are allowed to travel to the more dense material coated. If sound waves cannot cause the substrate to vibrate, the sound cannot continue. Super Therm® dampens sound waves. It blocks sound by interrupting the vibration continuance. The essence is to stop sound waves from loading into a substrate which cause vibration. By virtue of the lack of density, Super Therm® will stop up to 68% of sound transmission.

40% Sound Reduction in Geelong, Victoria

A client had extensive insulation and sound proofing on their home situated on a main road in Geelong, Victoria. Thermal360 (NEOtech Coatings Dealer/Applicator) applied Super Therm® to the exterior of the historic weatherboard home at the front and 2 sides. The main issue for the client was they couldn’t afford to pull the walls apart internally to add additional insulation and Super Therm‘s sound reduction and acoustic properties fit the bill.

The client has now received additional fire proof protection but also thermal and moisture protection. Super Therm® did reduce the sound from an average of 42-62 decibels in Sound Transmission Coefficient to now an average of 30-34 decibels. Taking an average of 50 decibels to 32 decibels is a 40% reduction in sound transmission through to the home’s interior. Photos: Thermal360

Sound reduction on this Geelong home by an average of 40%.
Sound reduction on this Geelong home from an average of 50-32 decibels.

This 1928 cladded home in Preston, Victoria on a main road sounded like the cars were inside the hallway. After a coat of Super Therm® now it’s much more quiet. From 67db to 37/36db. Saved the client over $30,000 not removing cladding and replacing the insulation.
Walking up these wooden stairs in this new home was like a tinny noise that bellowed through the home along with sound from the neighbours with a shared wall. Now it’s like concrete with Super Therm® under the stairs and on the wall which was tinted.

Finally Peace and Quiet for the Parents

A Melbourne home utilised Super Therm® for soundproofing a family home. When you have a family of 4 teenagers, solid timber floor, and they’re all gaming, talking and music, getting sleep is nearly impossible. Prior to applying Super Therm® to the doors and door frames of the home the reading in the master bedroom was 78db and the music was at 90db in the boys room.

Gradually after the applications the room decibel readings went from 43db down to 33db and finally averaging to 33db – 270% reduction. Thermal360 and the parents couldn’t hear the music in the teenager’s room when in the Master bedroom…Super Therm® more than just heat block but an acoustic barrier. Photos: Thermal360


KW Reduction from Super Therm® = Actual Dollars

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