Types of Insulation – The Basic Forms

Blankets: Batts or Rolls

* Fiber glass
* Rock wool

Method of Insulation:

Fitted between studs, joists and beams

Where:

All unfinished walls, floors and ceilings Do-it-yourself.

Advantages:

Suited for standard stud and joist spacing, which is relatively free from obstructions.

Loose-Fill (blown-in) or Spray-applied

* Rock wool
* Fiber glass
* Polyurethane foam

Method of Insulation:

Blown into place or spray applied by special equipment

Where:

Enclosed existing wall cavities or open new wall cavities; Unfinished attic floors and hard to reach places

Advantages:

Commonly used insulation for retrofits (adding insulation to existing finished areas).

Good for irregularly shaped areas and around obstructions.

Rigid Insulation

* Extruded polystyrene foam (XPS)
* Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS or beadboard)
* Polyurethane foam
* Polyisocyanurate foam

Method of Insulation:

Interior applications: Must be covered with 1/2-inch gypsum board or other building-code approved material for fire safety.

Exterior applications: Must be covered with weather-proof facing

Where:

Basement walls

Exterior walls under finishing (Some foam boards include a foil facing which will act as a vapor retarder. Please read the discussion about where to place, or not to place, a vapor retarder.)

Unvented low slope roofs.

Advantages:

High insulating value for relatively little thickness.

Can block thermal short circuits when installed continuously over frames or joists.

Reflective Systems

* Foil-faced paper
* Foil-faced polyethylene bubbles
* Foil-faced plastic film
* Foil-faced cardboard

Method of Insulation:

Foils, films, or papers: Fitted between wood-frame studs joists, and beams Unfinished ceilings, walls, and floors Do-it-yourself.

Where:

All suitable for framing at standard spacing. Bubble-form suitable if framing is irregular or if obstructions are present.

Advantages:

Effectiveness depends on spacing and heat flow direction.

Vermiculite

Loose-Fill (poured in) Vermiculite or Perlite

Not currently used for home insulation, but may be found in older homes

Tags: Insulating Walls by
No Comments »

Right now, saving energy and money are at the top of most people’s list.  Even those who haven’t insulated before will find that this task is fairly simple.  With that said, the one thing you might find a little overwhelming if you’ve never done it before and aren’t a regular at your local harware or lumber store – is the ever increasing types of insulation there are out on the market.

Put simply, when you choose to insulate an interior room, these are your likely options:

Traditional fiberglass insulation

Spray foam insulation

Recycled paper insulation (with fire retardant)

Foam Board

and more…

The all have their advantages and disadvantages, some last longer than other, some will last almost the life of the home.

With traditional fiberglass insulation, you have the option of rolled or batts.  Then there is the R Value.  Which means, how resistant to heat flow is the insulation.  While in North America, the typical R Value of insulation installed in a home is R19 – this number should also be dictated by where you live on the continent.  Perhaps, if you live in Maine, you might want a little more insulation, than someone living in Florida.  R Value dictates holding heat in, just as much as holding heat out.

Spray foam insulation, is usually used for hard to reach or uneven surfaces, a place that can’t simply be rolled, or that you’d have to destroy the roll or batt in order to fill it.

Recycled paper insulation is really good and helpful for crawl spaces, attic spaces, but now they have a tacky substance that also helps it adhere and cling to walls, drying almost solid, then covered over by sheet rock or paneling.  One might be concerned that the insulation is also made out of paper, which is flammable.  to easy your mind, ensure, and the answer should be yes – that the paper has  been treated with fire retardant.

Foam board usually applies to the exterior of the house, but people also like to use it for concrete walls as well.  Depending on your region, check to see what the thickness (R Value) is that people are using in your area.  This also applies to the fiberglass rolls and batts.

Keep in mind, if your room has two walls that are interior and two walls that line the exterior of the house, you’ll want a higher R Value insulation along the two outside walls.  A good give away for this is, the interior walls will be built with 2×4’s while the exterior should be built using 2×6’s, to allow for thicker insulation.  You may find that older homes also used 2×4’s for the exterior, but that was due mainly to building practices at the time the home was built.

Tags: Basic Home Improvements Ideas, Insulating Walls by
No Comments »