Wall lnsulation Types: Which is best for your home?

Why insulate in the first place?

Having good insulation is one of the most important characteristics in a home. During winter, insulation will prevent the hot air generated by your heating system from escaping and, in summer, the house from overheating. This, in addition to making the home more comfortable, also avoids energy waste, which has a considerable impact on energy costs. There is no point in having a state-of-the-art heating system in a poorly insulated house, so consider this step and investment first. The insulation will also serve to improve the acoustic comfort of the house, which is especially advantageous when it comes to properties located in noisy areas.

The money spent on insulation will depend on the type of insulation, the size of the house and how old it is. However, as insulation has a positive effect when it comes to reducing energy costs, investment is quickly recovered.

You can insulate the windows, doors, roof and floor, but the walls are the most important since it is through it that 30% to 40% of the heat is lost. After the walls, the roof (25%) and doors and windows (20%) follow, with the floor at the bottom. We will then focus on wall insulation. Take note.

Thermal insulation for wall types

Depending on the type of wall in your home, you can use:

Insulation of double walls: these walls have a gap between the outer and inner sheet, so the insulator is inserted into the wall through holes that are refilled with cement.

Solid wall insulation: they do not have a gap, which is why you will have to choose between internal or external insulation. External wall insulation covers the facade and the interior is, as the name implies, applied to the interior walls of the house.

Does the thermal insulation of walls control humidity? Yes. The insulation means that the temperature of the house does not fluctuate, which prevents the appearance of moisture. On the contrary, in a poorly insulated house, it is difficult - or even impossible - to maintain the temperature level. Cellulose insulation is a good option since the material has breathing capabilities that absorb up to 15% of moisture without changing it, which is not the case with glass wool or rock wool that are permeable to moisture and see their capacity insulating to decrease.

However, in addition to insulation, the house must be well ventilated and have vapor extractors, heat treatment of linear thermal bridges and heating.

Other types of wall insulating materials are:

Fiberglass Wall Insulation

One of the most popular materials to insulate the walls. We started with glass wool - also known as fiberglass - which is possibly the most used type of insulation today. This material, as the name suggests, is made of fiberglass and exhibits a texture identical to wool. It is an insulating material manufactured in rolls / blankets, tubes, felts or plates. It is often used in construction and other sectors due to its excellent thermal and acoustic performance and mechanical properties. Furthermore, it does not harm the surface it is in contact with, does not lose its insulating capacity over time and does not promote the appearance of fungi and bacteria.

Glass fiber or wool, however, must be handled with great care because dust and billions of small pieces of glass can affect the eyes, skin and lungs. Its installation must be done by a professional properly protected with a suit with pants and long sleeves, gloves, glasses and mask.

Rock wool wall Insulation

Its composition includes basaltic rock and other organic materials that are not harmful to health. Rock wool is non-combustible and guarantees excellent thermal and acoustic performance, maintaining mechanical stability up to 800ºC. It is very resistant and long lasting, it is light and, therefore, easy to handle, cut and install and does not retain water.

Cellulose wall insulation

Cellulose insulation is the most environmentally friendly. Cellulose is made from recycled cardboard, newsprint and other scraps of paper that are mixed with a chemical that slows down flames and makes it resistant to insects. As it is a compact material, it has almost no oxygen and, as such, it is an excellent product to minimize fire damage. The material is purchased in blocks and provides a very satisfactory insulation with a good quality-price ratio. However, it can cause allergies because of newspaper dust. Furthermore, it tends to lose volume over the years and there are fewer companies that are dedicated to installing this type of insulating material (if compared to the number of companies that install glass wool, for example).

Wall insulation with polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is also an excellent form of insulation. This foam, today, uses nonchlorofluorocarbon gas (CFC) as an expansion agent, which helps to mitigate damage to the ozone layer. The foam weighs about 1 kilo per cubic meter, that is, it is quite light. There are low density foams that can be applied to areas that are not insulated. It is also worth noting that the foam is fire resistant. In the form of a spray, it is a very practical solution to fill gaps and crevices that cause air leakage - such as those that appear around doors and windows.

XPS and EPS polystyrene wall insulation

Have you heard of XPS and EPS polystyrene? It is the same material, but XPS is extruded polystyrene and EPS is expanded polystyrene. This synthetic thermal insulator resembles plastic and appears as a very light rigid foam that can take on different colors, among which blue stands out. Polystyrene has excellent thermal performance, is easy to install, highly resistant to water absorption and does not favor the appearance of mold. In addition, it is lightweight, which reduces the weight of buildings and stresses on support structures. The polystyrene plates must be placed between the double walls and fixed to the interior cloth with special supports. It is essential that the plates are installed perfectly to prevent thermal bridges.

Insulation of walls with cork

Cork is very familiar to us. It comes from the cork oaks - has a natural origin - and is recyclable. Cork is crafted to be presented in slabs or granules. Although impermeable to water, it is permeable to steam. However, it resists aging and exhibits excellent properties in maintaining temperature in the face of thermal variations and with regard to soundproofing.

Wall insulation with insulating mesh

The insulating screen is in the form of reflective sheets that cover flexible thermal insulation films. It is resistant to water and moisture and stands out for its light weight and easy application. It can be placed vertically - in air boxes - or horizontally under floating floors. It also functions as a condensation barrier.

Insulation Energy Tax Credit 2020 – Extended until 12/31/20 – Get Details Here

The federal government has reinstated the federal 25C tax credit program, making it retroactively effective from January 1, 2018, and extending the program to December 31, 2020. Section 25C Tax Credit for Qualified Energy Efficiency Improvements offers a 10% tax credit worth up to $500 for homeowners for qualified energy-efficiency upgrades such as building insulation. For details on this program, click here.

Order Wholesale insulation from Pacific Insulation. We price our insulation lower than the big box stores. Whether you need to insulate your walls, your attic or your floors we have all types of insulation. Call 424-343-6530 to get a quote on your next insulation project. We sell to contractors and homeowners.

How to Insulate your Attic

There are a few important steps to insulating a ceiling properly. First, there are two basic types of ceilings; flat ceilings and cathedral ceilings. Understand that most of the energy leaving the house is in the ceiling of the top floor. Its especially important you do a great job of insulating the ceiling. 

Flat ceiling under an attic

In new construction where you going to be installing the insulation with that you'll install the insulation from below before the drywall is put up.Before you begin insulating you'll need to protect the homes ventilation you can use baffles in order to do this. A home needs to be well ventilated so that I can breathe out excess Heat. Failure to properly ventilate a roof can lead to moisture damage and mold. You can install the baffles and on the Rafters where the insulation meets the corner of the roof so that you allow for proper air flow. What's the baffles are in place you can begin to install the insulation. 

Install the baffles by pushing the baffles up through the ceiling joists and then pulling back down so that they're even with the ceiling joist. It is important to install the baffle correctly so that way it will return to its full R-value thickness without any gaps so it will create the most efficient insulating property possible. If you are using faced fiberglass make sure the facing face inside the house or towards the part of the house that you are Heating. Also make sure the installation meet the top plate where the ceiling meets the wall below. And but separate pieces of insulation together so there are no gaps or spaces.

If local regulations call for stapling insulation to the rafters open the flange of the facing and then stapled directly to the rafter. There will be spaces that will be maybe narrower than the factory cut batt. Simply cut the insulation to fit. You want to actually cut it one inch wider than the space that is provided to make sure the batt fills the space completely. 

Lighting in lighting fixtures that cause heat require special instructions this is very important for safety. Install insulation at least 3 in away from unrated ceiling fixtures. Depending on local building code you may need to baffle around these lighting fixtures as well you can use cardboard to do this. Then fit the insulation snugly around the baffle. Check all the pictures that are in the ceiling if a fixture has the letters IC in it then you can insulate right up next to that fixture. If you have to install the insulation around chimneys or other Heat giving elements then give each element at least one in space. For small hard-to-reach spaces you can stuff unfaced insulation into spaces.

You may also encounter other obstacles when installing insulation such as electrical wiring in this case you will want to actually cut the insulation in half and install around the wire. You will want to try to keep the same insulation thickness so that you don't lose any r value. Another option is to split the batt. For junction boxes in fan simply cut out a piece of the insulation to create a snug fit. Following these simple guidelines you will have a flat ceiling insulated properly. 

Another option for installing insulation is to install the insulation in the attic itself. And this application you will be installing the insulation right on top of the drywall. If installing insulation this way be very careful as the drywall is thin and will not be able to support your weight. You may wish to put plywood in the attic so that you can stand on it and not fall through the drywall. From up here you will place the face part of the insulation down. Follow the same guidelines you just learned how to install insulation around light fixtures junction boxes and wiring so that you create a snug fit. Finally before finishing the job you'll want to staple a piece of insulation to the back of the access port to the Attic.

Installing insulation in a cathedral ceiling

Cathedral ceilings give a room in open airy and spacious feel. But it also has some special insulation needs. For this type of job you will need lots of safe and secure scaffolding and ladders. There are two types of insulation types that you can use for cathedral ceilings.  First there is the r30c which is 8 and 1/4 inch thick this is used for 2 by 10 rafters. Second there is the 10in thick r38c this is used for 2 x 12 rafters.

 

First you want to install the baffles where the ceiling meets the wall. This will cause for proper air flow in your ceiling. Sometimes multiple baffles will be needed if multiple baffles are needed then install them 1 to 2 inches apart.Now push insulation backs up into the rafters until they are flush with the rafters edge. Do not push the batt up against the roof deck as this would block when necessary airflow needed. R30c and r38c are designed to leave a 1in space to allow for proper ventilation. Make sure there is at least one inch of space between the batt and the roof. 

In some cases you may want to install a poly visqueen over unfaced Batts. Stretch to poly over the rafters and staple it in place. Overlap poly one full fater length and staple securely. 

4 Kraft faced R-13 seed r38c staple the flanges every 10 to 12 in. 

 

Installing batted insulation is quite easy if you follow the guidelines indicated in this article.