Category Archives: Spray Foam Insulation

While insulation is a sure-fire technique to save money on energy and make a home more pleasant, many homeowners are unsure if they have enough. Some people are concerned that there are areas that should be insulated but aren’t.

A Crucial Definition

There are many different types of home insulation materials, but their ability to insulate is determined by the R-value, which stands for resistance to heat movement. The higher the R-value, the more effective the material is at preventing heat from passing through it.

Fiberglass, cellulose, and mineral wool are the most prevalent home insulating materials in residential buildings. All of the materials have similar R-values of 2.5 to 4 per inch of thickness. Fiberglass is available in batts and rolls that fit into common building openings like wall stud bays and ceiling joist gaps. Builders and contractors like the product because of its availability, low cost, and ease of installation. R-values for fiberglass batts are printed right on the container, so for a 3.5-inch-thick batt suited for wall studs, you might notice an R-13. Loose-fill materials include cellulose and several forms of fiberglass. Special machinery is used to blast them into place. In addition, rigid foam boards and spray-on foams have specific home applications.

The minimum R-values for attics, walls, and floors are specified by building codes. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program specifies R-value thresholds based on temperature zones that are more stringent than building codes. These suggestions serve as a solid starting point.

Attic Insulation Upgrade

Because most insulation is covered by a finish layer, the attic, which is usually unfinished, is the best area to start evaluating insulation levels in many homes. There is certainly some insulation in the attic already, but if the tops of the ceiling joists can be seen or there is only an inch or two of insulation covering the joists, you definitely don’t have enough.

Fortunately, attics are a relatively simple place to add insulation, whether it’s fiberglass or cellulose. Perpendicular to the present batts, further batts can be added. Insulation with loose fill can quickly fill in around impediments. When insulating or reinsulating an attic, there are a few factors to keep in mind.

The importance of air sealing is equal to that of insulation. Conducted heat loss, or the passage of energy from one molecule to the next, is slowed by common insulation materials. The term “R-value” refers to the resistance to heat flow. Consider a cast-iron skillet that has been placed over an open flame. The handle of the pan becomes too hot to touch after a while—this is conductive heat flow. However, many insulating solutions are ineffective at preventing heat transfer through moving air. As the temperature rises, heated air searches for ways to escape into the attic or to the outdoors. There are numerous of ways for conditioned air to enter the attic, including electrical and plumbing penetrations, as well as flue and chimney openings. As part of a larger insulation effort, such openings must be sealed.

Recessed lighting necessitates extra care. Some recessed light fixtures have protruding housings that cannot be covered with insulation, necessitating a three-inch gap between the fixture and the insulation—a scenario that wastes a lot of energy. Choose lights rated for insulation contact (designated IC) as an alternative, which implies the fixture can be in touch with, or even covered in, insulation. ICAT-rated fixtures go a step further by incorporating airtight housings.

Pay attention to the ventilation in the attic. So that wet air does not condense on the building components, the space above the attic insulation must be aired to the outside. A mix of ridge vents and soffit vents is an excellent method. The soffit vents pull in outside air while the ridge vents exhaust it. Insulation must be kept out of the soffit openings. The air is channeled by baffles inserted between the roof rafters.

Increasing the thickness of the walls

It’s difficult to determine the quality of wall insulation without drilling a series of holes into your home’s external walls. Working with a contractor or energy auditor who employs a thermal imaging device is one possibility. These are portable instruments that detect radiation in the form of heat loss from solid objects. They can assist in identifying insulation gaps or the absence of insulation.

A contractor can remove portions of outer siding and drill holes between the wall studs to add insulation to a finished wall. He’ll fill the stud bays with a loose-fill substance.

Use insulated sheathing under the siding if you plan to live in the house. Although the sheathing is normally only one inch thick, it helps to insulate the walls. Perhaps more importantly, the sheathing aids in the prevention of thermal bridging, or heat loss through the wall studs. The insulation between the studs conducts heat more faster than the wooden or metal studs, therefore the insulated sheathing helps to prevent heat loss.

Areas That Are Often Overlooked

The heated and cooled living room should be wrapped in insulation in an energy-efficient home. The attic and the outer walls are obvious places to start, but there are others as well:

Walls in the basement. Finished basement walls should be insulated. One method is to apply firm foam insulation to the concrete walls, then drywall over the insulation. Another option is to put the foam first, then construct a 2×4 stud wall with fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Plumbing and electrical lines can be run through the 2×4 wall.

Rim joists are joists that go around the outside of the building. These joists, also known as perimeter joists, form the framework for the flooring joists. They commonly connect the foundation and framing of a house. Install stiff foam board cut to fit between the floor joists to insulate them. Seal the edges with expanding foam from a can, which will insulate and air-seal the space at the same time.

Crawl spaces that aren’t heated. There is some disagreement regarding how to proceed with this project. Crawl areas were once aired to the outdoors and insulated with fiberglass batts on the floor above them. However, many people now believe that subterranean areas should be sealed and outside walls and rim joists should be insulated with rigid foam board. In addition, the crawl area should be integrated into the house’s conditioned space. Consult a skilled contractor about this project. If you have any current problems, he or she will identify them and recommend solutions.

Insulation put correctly and in the right places can aid in the energy efficiency of a home.

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When installing insulation in an attic or closed wall, the most popular choice is blow-in cellulose insulation. Other popular options include blown-in fiberglass and fiberglass batts. However, loose-fill cellulose is still the most cost-effective and practical solution.

What Is Cellulose Insulation?

Cellulose insulation is a wood and paper product used to fill empty spaces to prevent the transmission of cold and heat in a house. With a consistency similar to feathers, it is dense, clumpy and thick. It can be installed into enclosed areas and can go around obstacles such as ducts or wires. Commercial cellulose insulation is derived from materials like cardboard, recycled newspapers, office paper, and other common waste paper products. Therefore cellulose insulation is a very eco-friendly product.

How Cellulose Insulation Is Blown Into The Home

Homeowners most often use loose-fill cellulose insulation. It differs from other kinds of cellulose insulation that is designed to be blown onto open walls in a similar way to spray foam. With loose-fill cellulose insulation, moisture gets introduced into the spray assists in sticking cellulose to the wall. But with loose-fill insulation, the cellulose is dry. When filling finished walls, holes are drilled into the drywall or plaster permitting access of the blower nozzle. In attics, it is blown in alongside the joists. it can also be utilized to fill in existing cavities in the joists that have no insulation or added as a layer on top of fiberglass insulation or batts.

Cellulose Insulation Pro’s

• Cellulose insulation stands up well to vermin and insects
• With finished walls, loose-fill cellulose insulation is one of the very few ways you can successfully add insulation
• Loose-fill cellulose insulation settles to conform around obstructions in attics and walls.

Cellulose Insulation Cons

• Over time once the insulation has settled, it can form pockets where there is no insulation.
• Cellulose soaks up moisture when placed in enclosed areas and takes a great deal of time to dry out.

Is Cellulose Considered Green?

To a certain extent…Up to 85 percent is made from recyclable materials. But the remaining 15 percent is less than ideally green as it contains chemicals such as borate to treat the insulation. As a rule of thumb, it would be fair to say it cellulose loose-foam insulation is not perhaps as green as it is sometimes made out to be.

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Modern homes usually come with insulation contained within the cavities of the walls as standard. But for houses built through the 1980s, this was not always the case. Older houses often have no insulation whatsoever, resulting in extremes of temperatures inside the house should you happen to reside in harsh climates with extremes of temperature. this can mean the heating or cooling system in the house is being overworked causing wear to the system and increased energy costs. With no insulation, energy seeps through uninsulated ceilings and wall cavities that are hollow.

Retrofit Wall Insulation

This is a much-discussed subject as there is no one correct answer. The only way to decide is via a cost-benefit analysis. Sometimes the cost of the addition of insulation may exceed the cost of the energy you save. Although uninsulated walls are never eco-friendly, it may be the only viable solution to remove the drywall, insulate, install the drywall and paint, once again.

Injection Foam Insulation

The main advantage of foam insulation versus fiberglass insulation is foam resists mildew and mold better than batt roll fiberglass or loose fill. Another plus is it’s strong expansion properties mean it can be forced into difficult areas. it is similar to those individual cans of foam insulation you can purchase from a hardware store but it is a lot more efficient. However, it also has the advantage of being the best choice to avoid wall damage. That said you will have to create holes for the foam to be injected in too. They will need to be filled, patched and painted to finish the job.

Remove Drywall & Install Roll Fiberglass

This is a very messy procedure but it is simple and does a very thorough job at an inexpensive cost. The gypsum has to be hacked away, removing the drywall nails and screws, installing R-13 or greater fiberglass roll insulation and then performing a re-installation of the drywall. However, the benefit is you can be assured your walls are fully insulated.

Loose-Fill Blown-In Insulation

Cellulose insulation (blown in cellulose in this case) is actually a paper product with boric acid added foe dire resistance. It is injected into the cavities of walls in a series of holes drilled either inside or outside the walls. Many companies ff this kind of insulation but the drawback are it can settle and get caught up on obstructions in the inner-wall like boxes, plaster keys, and wires.

Blow-In-Blanket Wall Insulation

This a new patented construction process utilizing blower injected pellets made from fiberglass that can be used for either closed or open walls. On open walls, a sheath of fabric is attached to studs, forming a kind of cage that contains blown in fiberglass pellets. The pellets then form in a tight and dense manner, creating a highly effective seamless blanket that is ideal at stopping air infiltration. This is a professional process and at the moment is only offered by one manufacturer and sold by approved outlets.

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