Radiant Barrier Insulation

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Rob

Barn World has been promoting the benefits of radiant barriers

in heating building spaces for while now and the government has released a report on how effective they can be in any living or work-space. The heat saving and heat repelling properties of such barriers provide a money saving environment that will pay for the product and installation of the materials quickly.

To learn more, visit BarnWorld.com and visit our insulation category or call 720.238.2190.

Radiant Barrier Super R Plus Heavy

Below is a quick report from Department of Energy’s Engergy.gov page:

Radiant barriers

are installed in homes — usually in attics — primarily to reduce summer heat gain and reduce cooling costs. The barriers consist of a highly reflective material that reflects radiant heat rather than absorbing it. They don’t, however, reduce heat conduction like thermal insulation materials.

HOW THEY WORK

Heat travels from a warm area to a cool area by a combination of conduction, convection, and radiation. Heat flows by conduction from a hotter location within a material or assembly to a colder location, like the way a spoon placed in a hot cup of coffee conducts heat through its handle to your hand. Heat transfer by convection occurs when a liquid or gas — air, for example — is heated, becomes less dense, and rises. As the liquid or gas cools, it becomes denser and falls. Radiant heat travels in a straight line away from any surface and heats anything solid that absorbs its energy.

Most common insulation materials work by slowing conductive heat flow and — to a lesser extent — convective heat flow. Radiant barriers and reflective insulation systems work by reducing radiant heat gain. To be effective, the reflective surface must face an air space.

When the sun heats a roof, it’s primarily the sun’s radiant energy that makes the roof hot. Much of this heat travels by conduction through the roofing materials to the attic side of the roof. The hot roof material then radiates its gained heat energy onto the cooler attic surfaces, including the air ducts and the attic floor. A radiant barrier reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic.

A radiant barrier works best when it is perpendicular to the radiant energy striking it. Also, the greater the temperature difference between the sides of the radiant barrier material, the greater the benefits a radiant barrier can offer.

Radiant barriers are more effective in hot climates than in cool climates, especially when cooling air ducts are located in the attic. Some studies show that radiant barriers can reduce cooling costs 5% to 10% when used in a warm, sunny climate. The reduced heat gain may even allow for a smaller air conditioning system. In cool climates, however, it’s usually more cost-effective to install more thermal insulation than to add a radiant barrier.

TYPES OF RADIANT BARRIERS

Radiant barriers consist of a highly reflective material, usually aluminum foil, which is applied to one or both sides of a number of substrate materials such as kraft paper, plastic films, cardboard, oriented strand board, and air infiltration barrier material. Some products are fiber-reinforced to increase durability and ease of handling.
Radiant barriers can be combined with many types of insulation materials in reflective insulation systems. In these combinations, radiant barriers can act as the thermal insulation’s facing material.

INSTALLATION

A radiant barrier’s effectiveness depends on proper installation, so it’s best to use a certified installer. If you choose to do the installation yourself, carefully study and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and safety precautions and check your local building and fire codes. The reflective insulation trade association also offers installation tips.
It’s easier to incorporate radiant barriers into a new home, but you can also install them in an existing home, especially if it has an open attic. In a new house, an installer typically drapes a rolled-foil radiant barrier foil-face down between the roof rafters to minimize dust accumulation on the reflective faces (double-faced radiant barriers are available). This is generally done just before the roof sheathing goes on, but can be done afterwards from inside the attic by stapling the material to the bottom of the rafters.

When installing a foil-type barrier, it’s important to allow the material to “droop” between the attachment points to make at least a 1.0 inch (2.5 cm) air space between it and the bottom of the roof. Foil-faced plywood or oriented strand board sheathing is also available.

Note that reflective foil will conduct electricity, so workers and homeowners must avoid making contact with bare electrical wiring. If installed on top of attic floor insulation, the foil will be susceptible to dust accumulation and may trap moisture in fiber insulation, so it is strongly recommended that you NOT apply radiant barriers directly on top of the attic floor insulation.

End Article

Radiant Barrier Super R Diamond

Radiant Heat

A simple and effective method to help maximize heating efforts and minimize your utility bills is to combine the barrier insulation with radiant floor heat. This heating strategy will produce an effective and cost effective floor heat with the warmth trapping barrier insulation.

For more information visit Barn World today.

Calf Warmers from Barn World – Livestock Supply Necessity

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Rob

Calf Warmers from Barn World

To provide the best care in the critical after-birth hours of your calf’s life, be sure to enlist the help of a calf warmer.

Calf Warmer - Image

Calf warmers should be a livestock supply staple when raising livestock

Calf warmers create an excellent shelter and warm nurturing environment for new born calves. Usually constructed out of a durable, long-lasting and rust proof medium density poly, this animal shelter is a must for newborns and should be in every livestock supply arsenal.
New born calves require a warm enclosed space during the critical hours right after birth. They are vulnerable to the cold and need a safe place to recover from the birthing process. Barn World calf warmers have top of the line heaters located in the rear of the warmer in a separate enclosure that provides a steady warm, circulating flow of air. The area is large enough so the calf can stand up or lie down while remaining in the interior warmth of the heater. Being contained allows the identity scent to remain intact so the mothers will instinctively reclaim their rejuvenated infant once they’re ready to be released.

Calf Warmer Features

Barn World carries the Sioux Steel calf warmer with the following top-of-the-line features including a fully controllable an automated heater.

Calf Warmer - Image

• An adjustable 1500 watt electric heater with a fan with automatic shutoff and built in thermostat for controlling temperature and air flow speed
• The top hinged section is completely removable for ease of cleaning and for providing the largest allowable access area for calves to enter and leave the enclosure
• The bottom of the warmer is reinforced for easy towing and durability. It comes compete with a tow rope already installed so you’re ready to remove the calf from the delivery area
• The floor is raised and grated to provide warm air circulation throughout the entire warmer. It has a two panel system and is removable for easy cleaning
• The top eve vent allows for ventilation and circulation control as well as provides sighting access so you may keep an eye on the calf without raising the lid and disturbing it
• A popular feature is the 12v adapter
• The warmer measures 45” high, 25” wide and is 48” long to allow for maximum comfort inside.

Livestock Supplies are necessary for newborns

To keep your young, newborn livestock healthy and to give them a great start at a long and healthy live, a calf warmer is a must during the crucial hours after birth. Providing a safe and comfortable environment for your animal is a must to ensure a great beginning in a stress-free setting. To take advantage of all the calf warmer has to offer, call (720) 238-2190 or visit BarnWorld.com today for all your livestock supply needs and remember, they carry everything from cattle guards to saddle pads!

Drive Over Gates – a Cattle Guard alternative from Barn World!

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Rob

Drive Over Gates from Barn World! A Great Cattle Guard Alternative

Push over gate from Barn World

Barn World is excited to announce the arrival of the Drive-Over Gate. No need to stop to open a gate, pull through only to stop again to close the gate. This gate allows you to simply drive right over it! It will return to it’s upright position automatically as soon as the vehicle or trailer is clear.

Drive Over Gate Uses

The gate allows easy access to all your fenced-in areas without the hassle of leaving your vehicle to open and close your gates. This simple design has been tested in high traffic feed lots with all sorts of different vehicles. We tested it repeatedly with very large tractors and heavy loads to ensure the durability of the gate and with the weight of every load transferred directly to the ground, there was no limit to what the gate could handle. It proved extremely durable and trouble-free as shown in the video above.

It also allows for smaller ATVs, walk-through and walk-over traffic to easily pass a fence line. Large or heavy load are not necessary to ‘open’ the gate and it is easily passable by stepping on it or by removing the pass-through stakes and simply replacing them once you’ve gone through.

It also works well with your pivots

cattle guard

Gate Operation

The Drive-Over Gate is held in position with solid, heavy-duty springs that ensure many years of trouble free use and is designed to be opened by all vehicles, large and small, from ATVs to large tractors with trailers. The tension on the springs may be adjusted to keep the gate as firm as you’d like from day one to through day 10,000.

No more gates to open or close! This gate allows you to drive right over it without exiting your vehicile! It returns to it’s upright position automatically and is extremely durable.

The gate is accessible from both sides, and is easily pushed down by all vehicles and implements – from a small ATV to a tractor with attachments. Irrigation pivots can cross fences any time and if you need to walk through, simply pull out one or two of the cushion rods and step through the gate. You may also just push the gate over slightly and step on it to cross.

Easy for one person to set up and to move to a different location
Available in 6′, 14′ or 16′ widths

Livestock gate

The drive over or push over gate is great at containing your animals while allowing easy access to all of your pastures and fenced in areas. The gates are large and sturdy enough that livestock won’t look twice at it as a means of escape. Even if they do try and ‘test’ it, a push against the gate only leads to the gate pushing back and frightening the animal away. They quickly learn not to mess with the moving gate.

The speed that the gate ‘resets’ to it’s upright position may be adjusted by varying the tension on the springs or the telescoping tubing. There isn’t much pressure on the rods when they are in the down position so they barely tickle the underside of a vehicle as it crosses over. Please see the above video for a demonstration.

Installing a Drive Over Gate Cattle Guard Alternative

With it’s simple and reliable design, it’s very easy to install the gate. It’s important that the site be level and clear of obstructions in both directions for proper performance. In the winter, you’ll want to make sure the snow doesn’t pile up on either side as the weight of a crossing vehicle may bend the rods when compressed over large ice buildups. The gate is virtually maintenance free.

Cattle Guard Alternative

This gate has been used to provide easy access to all fence lines and it’s durability allows for all type of vehicles to cross effortlessly. When comparing it to a cattle guard installation, there is no comparison. No vaulted area or foundation is required to be dug and poured with concrete. A 6-8 inch gravel base is recommended and it installs in much less time, without an engineer, contractor or permits needed that are necessary with a cattle guard install. Simple to install and simple to use is why this gate is so popular and effective.

If you have any questions or would like a quote with shipping, please contact Barn World at 720.238.2190 or send an emailed to Sales@BarnWorld.com, and we will be more than happy to help.

Animal Shelters from Barn World – portable livestock shelters!

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Rob

Animal Shelters now at Barn World!

Barn World is proud to offer a line of portable steel shelters that are designed to be livestock shelters but come in sizes large enough for efficient to be equipment and storage facilities as well.

Animal Shelter Calf Hut

Calf Shelter

Animals Shelters and Livestock Huts

Whether you need an animal shelter for goats, calves, Ostriches or Emu’s, there’s an animal shelter built for you. All of the huts are constructed from steel and are available with swing in or out bucket holders and bottle holders.

There are also options for the front and back of the shelters. You may choose from the fronts being partially closed with a solid immovable panel that covers half of the entrance, or get a full closure with the optional swinging door if desired.

Animal Hut Front Door and Enclosure

Animal Hut Front Enclosure

Animal Shelter with door (closed) Front closure without door

Small Animal Shelter

The small huts measure either 4-1/2’ or 7-1/2’ long in width. They come pre-assembled and like all the shelters, have the option of the front enclosure without the door or with. The height is 3’10” and light weight of only 145 lbs, allows for easy mobility and greatly increases the uses for this small building. They come with anchors, one in the back and two for the front make your portable shelters a permanent solution until you’d like to move them for another use.

Transporting the huts is made more efficient by design. Up to fifteen of these smaller shelters can be loaded in a pickup when you’re ready to move them for another use. Extremely popular with pig and hog operations, they make great farrowing shelters.

Making them tough is the galvanized, heavy-duty corrugated steel reinforcements and heavy angle irons frames. These buildings are designed to shine in the worst of Mother Nature as well as your livestock.

Ostrich and Emu Shelter

These huts are great for large birds and come pre-assembled in 7’ long sections. You may choose from 7’ as the shortest length and add sections all the way up to your longest use need. Available in 8’, 12’ and 14’ widths, they offer a wide variety of uses and allow for growing and large herd sizes.

Assembly for these portable and yet permanent buildings takes a quick 2 hours and with the included 4×4 skids, you’re never stuck with a shelter in a specific place. All necessary parts are included for complete assembly.

Large Animal Huts

The larger animal shelters come in widths of 8’, 10’, 12’ and 14 feet while the lengths are in any increment of 7’ and although they are not pre-assembled like the smaller shelters, it will only take two men or women, 2-4 hours to completely build them. These larger huts come with skids made of 4×4’s to make it easy to move them in the pasture or around the farm and ranch.

The 14’ wide hut is plenty big enough for a full size pick up. You can even open the doors to get out when parked inside. It’s extremely useful store equipment out of the snow, sun and rain and can even make a nice workshop. There are large vents located on the back wall that open up to allow for ventilation and ‘airing out’ in the summer.

This is a picture of the back of the 14’ shelter with the back vents open

A Shelter or Hut for all types of uses

To offer the portability and versatility inherent in the design of these buildings, it is necessary to anchor them to the ground. Please note that due to varying soil composition around the country and from county to county, anchors are not included with the larger shelters, but are included with the 6’ wide huts.

For questions or information on the animal shelters or for assistance any farm and ranch livestock supplies or even cattle guards, please call (720) 238-2190 or visit BarnWorld.com today!

How to Ensure that Your Animals Produce

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Rob

Raising an animal is not a walk in the park it needs necessary skills and talents in order for you to produce animals which can generate the best quality meat. If you think that raising cattle is easy you should think again because like humans they need to have love and affection in order for them to become profitable. You need to keep in mind that animals have depression if you do not take good care of them. You do not need to follow a cattle around to make sure that it is happy, the weight of the cattle in cattle scales will show you that you are doing a good job.

It will take more than an hour of your time a day to watch your cattle since all they do is eat grass, you need to have necessary equipments so that you can ensure that your livestock is healthy and productive. Equipment like bulk feed bins will ensure that your cattle is eating to become heavier and healthier. Healthy cattle are said to produce the best meat in the market, when your cattle is producing healthy meat then you can say that you are raising good livestock animals.

To ensure that your animals are producing the best meat, you have to make sure that your animals are having the right necessities. They need an environment where they cannot be harmed by children and other people. The animals also need clean water from time to time to relinquish their thirst and lastly they have to eat well, feeding them with hay feeders can ensure that their food intake is normal. A thirsty and hungry animal can never produce the right kind of meat to pass the meat requirements. It is very important that the meat itself is healthy because many consumers will be feeding on it.

Many factors will contribute so that your cattle can produce good quality meat that can pass the standard in meat production. Ensuring that your animals produce lean meat will ensure that you will gain profit beyond your expectation. Having a good environment and a good barn will ensure that your animals are happy resulting in greater profit and great feedback from your customers. It is like an advertisement because you advertise results, so that you can gain the necessary feedback that you need.

Our New Video

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Rob

Check out our new video for www.barnworld.com. We are here to answer all of your questions about cattle guards, cattle scales, and livestock supplies!

How to Make Your Barn Animals Happy?

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Rob

Our barn animals most of the time bring us joy and happiness. As we watch our animals grow we are slowly realizing that our efforts are paying off. When we sell them, we can see our profit. Making our barn animals happy should be our priority so that we can improve their growth and therefore increase our profit. Purchasing cattle guards will make the production of our cattle increase. As the production of our cattle increase so is our profit.

It takes just a little of our time to raise our barn animals because we just have to let them eat if we have a very big farm. In order to ensure that our cattle has eaten enough, we need to feed them through hay feeders. Sometimes our animals have not eaten enough because of certain reasons like the animal is sick or there is too much heat. We should keep in mind that like humans our animals need attention and care. This ensures they can continue to be more productive and healthy. We should also ensure that our animals are eating enough so that they can reach the optimum weight for meat production.

The way we care about our animals will be greatly shown with the use of cattle scales because if we are not feeding our barn animal well they are likely to be lighter than normal. They won’t be able to reach the weight necessary for livestock selling. If all our animals will not pass the standard weight then our buyers will back down and we will have no profit at all. Animal care is very important so that you will be able to produce the healthy meat for your consumers. Having known all this it will be expected that the animal will reach its necessary weight for selling.

In order to take care of our barn animals, we have to undergo special training and four years of schooling in order to master the art of cattle raising. All your hard work will pay off if you see that what you are doing produces results. Raising your barn animals can bring you very big profits. It is a very rewarding job having to see your animals grow day after day. You should be very proud if your animals grow to produce the best quality meat that the market needs. It is a must that we take good care of our animals.

How the Environment Affects Growth of Farm Animals?

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Rob

The environment plays a vital role in the growth of farm animals, it is therefore very important that we find a stable environment that can sustain the needs of our animals. Factors like humidity, weather, water source and a rich fertile soil will ensure that the growth of animals will be faster and up to date. An environment that lacks either one of this factor will result to poor meat production and slow growth of your barn animals. You should keep in mind that in order for your animals to grow and multiply all of these factors must be complied.

If you are living in an urban environment, and you want to raise livestock you must ensure that you have all the necessary equipments to make up a perfect barn. Equipment like hay feeders is very important to make your cattle happy. Since we are not blessed with acres of green pasture we can find simple solutions to simple problems to make our barn animals healthy. We should be creative enough to imagine what our animal needs since they can’t tell you that, you have to observe their needs so that you can complete whatever is lacking in their environment.

The environment plays a vital role in animal meat production, it is best to have a pasture so that your animals can roam freely. If your animals are able to move around it is to be expected that their meat is lean and good, a cattle who can’t walk around produces meat that are rich in fats and amino acids. A pasture is a great advantage to your dream of livestock production. If you have many animals that you need to feed you should have bulk feed bins so that you can feed them all at once.

Raising livestocks in a secure and healthy environment will make your animals produce more than expected, rest assured your profits will be doubled and all your clients will be happy. The consumer will always look for your livestock if you are producing good quality mean. You can then be very popular if your meat is good and healthy. Raising a farm animal is pretty tiring since you have to observe what your barn animal needs. Providing your animals with good quality equipment will double your meat production. Equipments like grain bins will even add to the décor of your barn. A clean barn is always a pleasure to visit.

Cattle Guards aren’t effective for all animals!

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Rob

Cattle guards are not effective for all animals

As we’ve stated in previous posts, cattle guards are not designed as a deterrent for all animals or even all livestock. To illustrate the point, here’s a cute little Beagle on YouTube that summoned the courage to cross a guard on it’s own even thought the gap between the pipes presents a real challenge.

This neat little video shows how non-hoofed creatures can navigate their way across and this little guy who is still pretty young was able to find his way.

Cattle guard: designed for most hoofed animals

Called by many names; cattle gaps, Texas gates and many more, they are specifically for cows, bulls and deer and some other hoofed animals. The major exception that we don’t recommend them for are horses. The equine animals have slender legs and smaller hoofs that can allow their legs to slip in-between the pipe and when their hoof hits the bottom of the vaulted area, it can expose their legs to breaking at it’s most vulnerable point on the leg. A horse will most likely spook at the surprise of being in such a precarious situation and will probably struggle to get out. This can lead to spooking it’s way to a broken leg which no one wants. We recommend only gates for horses.

Goats, sheep and other smaller hoofed, sure-footed livestock are also able to cross the guards. We also recommend traditional standard gates for these animals as well.

While they can be an effective barrier for all animals, they are designed for cattle and work best with this type of livestock. Other animals are simply too sure footed, cleaver or have soft pads that allowing crossings without too much trouble.

If we can help answer and questions or provide any guidance for your particular project, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We will be more than happy to help with small private plans or larger commercial or public roadway and government jobs.

Don’t forget Barn World has a large selection of products for all your livestock supplies including everything from hay feeders to grain bins. Please contact us at (720) 23-2190 anytime!

Cattle Guards from Barn World

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Rob

Cattle Guard Use

Barn World cattle guards allow easy access to farm and ranch land by eliminating the need for gates. Cattle guards give open access but keep livestock inside. All cattle guards are constructed with heavy wall steel pipe and extra thick steel channel. All ends of these cattle guards are capped to prevent rust. Wings and boxed cattle guards are available with all sizes.

Cattle Guards and Different Styles

Boxed style cattle guards

47716 cattle guards

Boxed styles are designed to sit on flat ground with a gravel under-layment recommended for drainage of these cattle guards. In many cases these boxed cattle guards are used for wheel washes in construction sites, dirt rattlers and for providing access to low or slow traffic sites such as cell phone towers, off-site construction, driveways and other low traffic areas. In all cases a local contractor familiar with soil conditions and drainage considerations should be consulted when planning an installation.

Flat Style Cattle Guards

47711 cattle guards

The flat style is designed to be mounted on cement footings and is the most popular in high traffic areas such as public roadways. They are bolted directly to the concrete footings that also create the ‘vault’ or empty space under the guard. This provide a visual deterrent to animals and is very effective in dissuading and attempt at crossing.

The flat style is a permanent installation and some designs have a hinged area on the guard that allows the center section to be lifted for cleaning out debris that may have collected in the vaulted space area underneath. This feature is not available on all guards, but may be included with most of the highway rated crossings.

General Cattle Guard Notes

Here are some general notes and guidelines:

Load Ratings

All cattle guards can withstand the weight of full tractor-trailer loads. The non-rated are most popular for private property such as driveways and access for farm equipment.

The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) provides guidelines for cattle guards with maximum load ratings. AASHTO load ratings are suitable for all types of applications including heavy duty logging roads. (See the table at the bottom of this article for more details on AASHTO load ratings.)

AASHTO Design Specifications

H-15 (12 tons per axle)
H-20 (16 tons per axle)
U-54 (25 tons per axle)
U-80 (30 tons per axle)

Rated cattle guards will meet the specifications needed for state and federal requirements such as DOT, BLM, USFS, NP, and US Military installations. They are also used in commercial applications such as mining, forestry, agriculture, and petroleum production. Rated cattle guards are the product of choice for residential usage where city, county, or state regulations require the HS20 rating. Certified structural steel is used in the manufacture of HS20 rated cattle guards.

HS20 cattle guards will be certified by an independent engineering firm to meet commercial standards and are intended for government bids. For use on private land, buying standard cattle guards will save you thousands of dollars, are identical in size and are made out of the same materials. They just do not come with the certifications and paperwork all the way back to the steel mill that government agencies require. If a non-rated guard for a private drive is needed, use a standard cattle guard.

Cattle guards may be constructed with 3″, 3-1/2″ or 4″-1/2″ pipe. The 4″ pipe allows for an approximate gap of 4″ between each pipe and be built with 9 pieces. The 3-1/2″ outside diameter pipe guards have 11 pieces and are approximately 12-1/2″ tall.

There is no difference in strength between the boxed cattle guard and the flat styles of cattle guards. These cattle guards are designed to accommodate full semi loads at 10 tons per axle. All cattle guards weigh about 100 Lbs. per foot (a 10′ cattle guard weighs about 1,000 Lbs.). Add approximately 8 Lbs. per foot for boxed cattle guards and about another 200 Lbs. total for winged cattle guards.

Extending the depth of deterrant

To use for deer, you may need to place two cattle guards in tandem so you have 16 feet of protection. Cattle guards are easily bolted together to achieve greater distances in the direction of travel and create a larger deterrent for any animal wishing to attempt a jump. Please note that we recommend standard gates be used when containing horses, goats, all small hoofed and sure-footed animals and animals with paws.

Ordering your cattle guard:

For a shipping quote, please send us an email with your destination zip code and quanitity or feel free to call the telephone number at the bottom of this page with any questions you may have about our cattle guards.

When ordering cattle guards you will pay for the order without the shipping and we will collect the exact shipping cost with a second charge to the credit card used for the order.
Note: You must have equipment available to unload the cattle guards from the delivery vehicle when it arrives. The delivery truck will require you to unload the cattle guard with a loader or fork lift or some other means upon delivery.

Note with regard to dimensions: Private use cattle guards are NOT built to exact dimensions. Sizes may vary slightly. Adding the removable box option will add about 7″ to the total length and width of the cattle guard. For example, a 12 foot cattle guard will be about 12′-7″.

If you have any questions, would like a quote with shipping or if we can help with anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be glad to assist in anyway we can.

Don’t forget, Barn World is your headquarters for all your farm and ranch supplies including hay feeders, livestock scales, saddle pads and even grain bins. We have a complete selection of livestock supplies for you everyday needs.