Quik-Therm Matrix eliminates the need for conductive metal girts, providing a continuous thermal barrier that significantly reduces heating and cooling costs.
| Feature | Steel Z-Girt Assembly | Quik-Therm Matrix System |
| Thermal Bridging | High: Steel conducts heat 400x faster than wood | Zero: Virtually 100% thermal bridge-free |
| Effective Efficiency | Only 47% – 57% of nominal R-value | 100% of nominal R-value |
| Components | Multiple (Girts, Clips, Shims, Insulation) | Integrated (Insulation + Furring + Drying) |
| Installation Speed | Slow: Requires precision layout of metal | 50% Faster: Installs like standard panels |
| Moisture Risk | High: Metal fasteners can cause dripping/mould | Low: Built-in drainage & drying channels |
The “Cost Vs. Value” Summary For Clients
- Z-Girts are a “cheap” material that leads to an expensive, inefficient building.
- Quik-Therm Matrix is a high-performance system that pays for itself through reduced labour costs during construction and lower energy bills for the life of the building.
Beyond R-Value: Installation And Moisture Control
While R-value gets all the marketing buzz, air and moisture management are what keep a building standing for 50 years:
- Simplified Labour: Traditional Z-Girts require a “layer-cake” approach – installing the girts, then the insulation, then the shims, then the cladding. Quik-Therm Matrix is a singular, lightweight panel. This reduces the number of trades on-site and slashes labour hours.
- The “Sweating Wall” Problem: Because metal girts are cold points within a warm wall, they are magnets for condensation. Over time, this “sweating” leads to rust, rot, and indoor air quality issues. Matrix is non-conductive, meaning the dew point stays outside the structural wall.
- Built-in Drainage: Quik-Therm Matrix includes an integrated drainage plane. If moisture does find its way behind the cladding, it has a clear, unobstructed path to exit, keeping the building envelope dry and healthy.
The Bottom Line: Cost Vs. Value
It is a common pitfall to look at the “sticker price” of Z-Girts and assume they are the cheaper option. However, once you factor in the labour costs of a slower installation and the energy penalties of a 50% effective R-value, “the cheap” option becomes the most expensive part of the building.
The Reality Check
Choosing Z-Girts is like buying a high-end furnace but leaving the front door wide open. Quik-Therm Matrix is a high-performance investment that pays for itself through immediate labour savings and permanent reductions in monthly utility bills.
