K factor:
The K factor of insulation represents the material’s thermal conductivity or it's ability to conduct heat. The K factor of insulators is typically less than one. The lower the K-factor the better the insulation.
C factor:
The C factor of insulation stands for Thermal Conductance Factor. The C factor, like the K factor, is a rate of heat transfer through a material. The lower the C factor, the better the insulating properties of the material. It is the quantity of heat that passes through a foot of insulation material.
The C factor is dependent upon the thickness of the insulation. The thicker the insulation is, the lower the C factor will be and thus the better the material will be at insulating. This is one of the main differences between the K factor and C factor, because generally the thickness of an insulation material will not affect its K factor.
R factor:
The R factor pulls together all of the information of the other factors and makes it easy to judge the effectiveness of insulating material. The R factor of insulation can be found most easily of the insulation factors discussed, and it is the most popular indicator of a material’s insulator properties. Generally it is listed on an insulation material’s label. The R factor stands for thermal resistance. The higher the R factor, the better the insulation.
To simplify, the R factor is a variable value that measures the ability of a material to block heat rather than radiate it. The variable is the C factor, which is dependent upon the thickness of the material. It is the opposition to the flow of heat energy.
Conversion Chart
| |
|
I want |
| |
|
K-factor |
C-factor |
R-factor |
I have |
K-factor |
- |
C-factor = (K-factor)/(in. of thickness) |
R-factor = (in. of thickness)/(K-factor) |
| C-factor |
K-factor = (C-factor)(in. of thickness) |
- |
R-factor = 1/(C-factor) |
| R-factor |
K-factor = (in. of thickness)/(R-factor) |
C-factor = 1/(R-factor) |
- |
[Source: http://www.thermaxxjackets.com/insulation-ratings-r-factor-k-factor-c-factor/]
