Insulation is any material that reduces heat transfer in your home. It ranges from bulky materials like fiberglass, rock and slag wool, and cellulose to rigid foam boards and reflective insulation systems.
Fiberglass comes in blanket batts or rolls and is one of the most popular forms of home insulation. It can be installed in stud and cavity walls, between ceiling joists, or around ductwork.
Attics
Adding insulation in the attic is an energy-efficient way to cut heating and cooling costs and make your home more comfortable all year round. It can also increase your property value.
When insulating your attic, you have many options, including fiberglass batts and rolls, cellulose, mineral wool and loose-fill fiberglass. Each type has different R-values, which is the measure of how well it resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective it is.
These attic insulation materials come in pre-cut panels or rolls that you can install yourself, if you prefer. For best results, consult an expert to get recommendations based on your specific climate and R-value needs.
If you choose to hire a professional, they will wear personal protective equipment that includes gloves and a mask. This gear is necessary because insulation, especially fiberglass, can be a lung and skin irritant.
Cellulose attic insulation is a green option, made from recycled paper and wood shavings, but it’s not as environmentally friendly as other types. It’s treated with boric acid, which is harmful if it gets wet. It also tends to sag and settle over time, which reduces its effectiveness. It’s also more flammable than other types of attic insulation. It does, however, offer a higher R-value per inch than other types. This type of attic insulation also offers the highest sound resistance.
Walls
Wall insulation slows the transfer of heat between spaces, making a home more energy efficient and lowering heating and cooling costs. It also helps to prevent moisture problems, such as mold or mildew, and acoustic issues, such as sound transfer between rooms.
When building a new home, consider Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), insulated concrete forms, or insulating drywall. These products have insulation “built in,” creating a much higher R-value than traditional wood framing. They can help achieve energy-saving results while also reducing construction time. When installed with advanced framing techniques, these materials improve whole-wall R-value and reduce thermal bridging.
Loose-fill insulation, blown into place by trained installers, comes in a variety of materials, including cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral wool. Cellulose is made of 75 to 85 percent recycled paper fiber, typically post-consumer waste newsprint. Fiberglass and mineral wool are produced using recycled glass and slag, respectively. This type of insulation is often less expensive than other types and can be used in enclosed cavities or unenclosed spaces such as attics.
Foil and film insulation is fit between wood-frame studs, joists, rafters, or beams, ideally at standard spacing. It can be blown into place or, in the case of bubble-form insulation, poured. It’s suitable for existing finished areas, irregularly shaped areas, or around obstructions. Foam insulation is typically polyurethane-based.
Floors
Floor insulation can be an easy and effective way to prevent cold floors in a home or a commercial building. This is especially true for older homes with solid timber or concrete floors. It can also help to reduce draughts and make rooms feel warmer and more comfortable. Depending on the type of flooring, it can also provide soundproofing benefits as well.
Insulating floors is usually done by adding material under floorboards if the property has suspended timber flooring, or to concrete floors. Some companies, like Q-Bot, even use remote control vehicles to spray on the insulation from below. It’s important to check that the floor is clean and free from any debris before proceeding.
There are many different options for floor insulation, including cellulose and wood-fiber products as well as foam boards. The type that’s best for your property will depend on a number of factors, such as the type of flooring you have and how much you want to spend.
Adding insulation under the floors of your home is often required by Building Regulations, particularly if you have old concrete floors in your house or business. This is because a poorly insulated floor can cause significant heat loss and draughts in the property. A properly insulated floor can keep the temperature in a room more stable and therefore save you money on energy bills as well as making the space more comfortable for residents or workers.
Basements
Basement walls need insulation to reduce the transfer of heat to the ground and air to other areas in the house. Insulation of a basement can significantly reduce energy costs and extend the life of HVAC equipment. Basements can be insulated from the outside or the inside, depending on the condition of the foundation. If major water leaks exist, it’s often better to excavate and repair the basement and add a waterproof membrane to the exterior of the foundation before insulating the inside.
Foam board insulation, which is available in sheets that are easy to cut and work with, can be applied directly to a concrete foundation wall. This system works well in the case of a finished basement or if a stud wall is to be built on top of the foam boards. The foam boards should be moisture-resistant, and a vapor barrier may also be required.
A more economical approach to insulating a basement is to frame out the wall using 2×4 studs and then insulate between the studs with soft batt insulation. This system requires fewer fasteners and can be used in a finished basement or if a 2×6 rim joist is installed to support the floor joists in an unfinished basement. Regardless of the type of basement insulation, all basement wall insulation should include fire blocking to prevent combustible materials in the wall from spreading the fire throughout the house.