When a building must withstand strong winds and extreme weather, the materials used to construct its walls can significantly affect how well the structure performs. This is why insulated metal panels (IMPs) are such an effective option.
If any area of your building is exposed to extreme weather conditions, including high winds, you need building materials that do more than provide insulation and enhance curb appeal. You need something that performs under the most demanding conditions caused by Canadian weather.
IMPs are a durable and energy-efficient system. They withstand harsh conditions, but they’re only as effective as the panel’s quality and the installation. Understanding wind load resistance helps you choose the best materials, including insulated panels, for your situation.
What Are Insulated Panels?
An insulated metal panel is a prefabricated wall section that includes insulated material sandwiched between two metal surfaces. Metal panels offer a durable finished surface, while the core provides optimum insulation.
In the past, walls were made of separate interior and exterior layers, with insulation placed between them. They consisted of three separate components. IMPs combine all three components, so you’re installing a single panel for each wall. Our Isowall and Rockwall panels are designed to create an insulated wall system that offers thermal performance, fire resistance, and protection against the harshest conditions, including high winds.
What Does Wind Load Mean?
Wind load is the force that wind puts on your building. Wind rarely just blows straight into a wall. It pushes inward against part of a surface while creating suction that pulls out on another area. The forces create additional stress, especially on the joints, panels, and fasteners that hold your walls together.
A building’s wind load requirements vary based on the location, height, design and typical weather conditions of an area. Your wall system must be designed to handle wind load based on all of these factors.
Our insulated panels help with this. The entire panel system helps create the most durable building envelope possible. Additionally, since high winds rarely occur on their own, our panels also withstand other extreme weather conditions, including rain, snow, and subzero temperatures. When properly installed, our IMPs reduce unwanted air and moisture infiltration, creating a strong building with an interior protected against the worst Canada weather can throw at it.
Of course, a wall panel is only as good as its installation. Even the highest quality panel can fail if it’s not installed correctly. We understand that all components in a wall panel system are important, and we help you choose the appropriate structure for your building.
Wind resistance is a system-wide issue, and you need more than just the right building material to create a strong building.
Other Benefits of IMPs
In addition to wind load resistance, our IMPs offer a variety of other benefits, including:
Fire Resistance
Rockwall panels provide an additional layer of passive fire resistance, increasing safety and giving you peace of mind. It’s also a feature that insurance providers view favorably.
Flexible Building Design
Our panels are ideal for commercial and industrial spaces, both of which can change over time as a business evolves. The flexibility of our panels means you can add doors and windows after the initial installation if and when they’re needed. It might also be possible to remove and relocate panels if your building’s layout changes over time.
Canadian Manufactured
Canadian manufacturing means you get a product designed and made by locals who understand our weather conditions. Buying Canadian can also mean working with a company that understands local construction needs and can provide accessible product knowledge and support.
Choosing a System that Offers Premium Wind Load Resistance
In Canada, extreme wind and weather conditions are a matter of when and how often, not if. Choosing the right materials is essential.
Wind load resistance should be one of your most important considerations when choosing wall systems and other building materials for your structure. Our IMPs withstand strong winds and offer many other benefits, too. You’ll get optimal thermal performance and air and moisture management, as well as fire resistance and structural flexibility.
For more information or for assistance choosing the right building materials for your structure, reach out to Structural Panels Inc. today to discuss your options.
