Thread: wood, conductive material

My energy audit instructor stated that wood is a conductive material?

Huh?

I never thought wood as a conductive material.

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Originally Posted by RobertSmith

My energy audit instructor stated that wood is a conductive material?

Huh?

I never thought wood as a conductive material.

Ask a tree trimmer! I have a good friend who has been in the tree busness for his whole life. He told me about working with young men who would hold limbs while cutting over power lines. Told them not to do that! Wasn't more than a coupe of minutes when he was called from talking to the customer, to find the young man knocked out. Limb had fallen across the power line while he had hold of it. He recovered ok but it burned holes in his shorts.

Conductive electrical wise or conductive as a heat/cold sink or noise wise?

Live limbs would likely be conductive to a greater degree than milled wood boards and panels due to the high moisture content found in live trees. But milled lumber still has some moisture content.

I believe he means heat conductive. I was taught this in an energy inspection course a few years ago. The instructor said wood joists in the attic should be covered with insulation because otherwise there is some heat loss through them.

Thats also the reason you see ghosting of ceiling joists.

I believe that there is heat loss through everything. It's just a matter of degree...so to speak
Wood has an R-value. It's just not very high. A 3 1/2 inch stud has an R-value of about 4.38, which is not as high as the 3 1/2 " of fiberglass insulation in the stud bay (about R-11).

You guys are confusing me. Are you saying that I can burn holes in my shorts when I get a woody?