Field & trade terms
Thermal bridge
A thermal bridge is a spot in the envelope where a more conductive material creates a shortcut for heat around the insulation. Examples include a steel stud, a slab edge that runs to the exterior, or a metal shelf angle. Heat takes the easy path, so these areas run colder in winter and warmer in summer than the insulated field around them. The consequences are lost energy performance and, more damaging on site, cold interior surfaces where the temperature can drop to the point that indoor moisture condenses.
Run it with the Photo Gate
Insulation inspection checklist
12 items · 26 photos required
Why it matters
The moisture problem is the one that bites. A cold interior surface at a thermal bridge can drop below the dew point, and condensation there feeds mold and rot in exactly the concealed spot nobody sees until it is a stain or a smell. Continuous insulation and detailing that breaks the conductive path are how the design avoids it.
The field version of the problem is gaps and compression. Insulation stuffed short, crushed behind a member, or interrupted at a penetration turns a detailed continuous layer into a bridged one, so the concealed-work look before cover is where it gets caught.
How it shows up on site
Continuous insulation installed without gaps or compression, thermal breaks in place at slab edges and metal members, and the insulation and air barrier photographed before they are covered so the continuity is on the record.
Standards it's verified against
Checklists that put thermal bridge to work
Free, field-ready checklists, each with the photo every item needs before it can be submitted.
Related terms
- Air barrierA continuous plane of materials that stops air from leaking through the building enclosure, sealed at every joint, seam and penetration.
- Vapor barrierA sheet material that limits how much water vapor diffuses through an assembly, placed to keep condensation from forming inside the wall or floor.
- DelaminationA separation between layers that were supposed to bond (a coating from its substrate, a topping from a slab, plies of a membrane), leaving a hollow, loose plane.
- PenetrationAny point where a pipe, conduit, duct or cable passes through a wall, floor or roof, leaving a hole that has to be sealed back to match the assembly it crosses.
- HoneycombVoids in hardened concrete where the mortar did not fill around the coarse aggregate, leaving a rough, porous surface with stones showing.
- Holiday testAn electrical test that finds pinholes, thin spots and gaps (holidays) in a protective coating or membrane that the eye would miss.
Knowing the term is step one. Proving it is the job.
RTI holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and the photos are attached, then chains the record so it can be proven untouched later.
30-day trial · No card required