Home insulation is a key aspect of in home improvement to maintain consistent indoor temperature. Building contractors choose a variety of insulation that vary in performance, installation cost, etc. Smartest investment on insulation is required for your home as it reflects how you and your family members are comfortable by controlling external sound, temperature and even reduces your heating or cooling energy bills. This article tells discusses common home insulating materials and their pros and cons.
While considering an insulation material for your home, the most important parameter to consider is the thermal efficiency. It is measured as R-value codes, which give the measure of resistance of the insulating material to external/internal energy loss through walls. The higher the R-value, the more effective is the material in leading to energy efficiency. Homeowners have a wide range of options to choose from when it comes to choose insulators and the most popular one are fiberglass, rock wool, cellulose, polyicynene and poly-encapsulate insulation.
Fiberglass insulation
Fiberglass is an inexpensive material, which resists fire, moisture and corrosion.
This insulating material is commonly used either as batt or loose-fill.
- Batt-fiberglass insulation: Batt insulation is convenient to install by DIY method in houses as it requires simple stuffing in the spaces. Batt-fiberglass insulation comes in 3 to 4 R-value per inch. It is good for roofs and walls.
- Loose-fill fiberglass insulation: It is best for insulating ceilings and cracks. This fiberglass insulation is usually blown with machines. Therefore, it can be done only by professional contractors. Loose fill fiberglass has advantage over batt-fiberglass as it makes easy to insulate every corners of the home and attic. But the R-value for loose-fill ranges form 2.2 to 2.7 per inch.
Installing fiberglass insulation causes irritation. It is, better to stay away while work is being done.
Rock wool insulation
Also called mineral wool insulation, rock wool is an expensive material, but is advantageous over fiberglass as it is not harmful to your health. Rock wool material is resistant to higher temperature and it comes in loose-fill stuffed in bags. Therefore it can be easily blown to every corners and attic. It has R-value ranging between 4 to 5 per inch and is best for insulating walls, ceilings and floor.
Cellulose insulation
For home insulation, cellulose is obtained from re-cycled paper. This makes cellulose insulation an environmentally friendly choice. Cellulose insulating materials are treated with fire retardants. Therefore, it fire resistant. The R-value ranges between 3.2 to 3.8 per inch and is superior in handling moisture due to its hygroscopic nature. Cellulose insulator is cost-effective when compared to fiberglass insulators due its ease in installation.
Polyicynene (Icynene)
Polyicynene insulation comes in open and closed cell foaming material. It is the most popular and widely used home insulating as well as air sealing product. It creates quieter indoors and does not create any health issues. Polyicynene can stick to any building material and is therefore widely used in cases where insulation setting is a problem.
The advantage of polyicynene is that it can be used to insulate any abnormal home architecture. When polyicynene is sprayed on the wall, it starts expanding and fill any cavities found and provide air-sealed insulation. The property of polyicynene to expand offers 50% greater energy savings than other materials. The R-value for polyicynene ranges from 3 to 6 per inch.
Poly-encapsulated insulation
This insulation material comes in sealed packages, which makes it easy to transport, install and there is no sign of dust during the insulation work. Poly-encapsulate insulation material are superior in sound proofing homes. The wrapping system offers perforation that helps remove moisture and does not release formaldehyde indoor. The R-value ranges up to 7 and these insulating materials are good at sound proofing, air-sealing the entire house environment.
If you have a new home or planning to insulate old home, you can improve the overall energy efficiency of the home by reducing more than 25% energy loss through walls and ceiling. Adequate home insulation offers comfortable, healthy and a quiet environment to you and your family.
