Tips and Materials for Proper Home Insulation

13 March 2020

Homeowners never should underestimate the importance of insulation. After all, when it is properly installed, it reduces heat gain or loss, decreases the house’s energy requirements and adds thermal comfort. With this being said, it can be confusing to decide upon the correct insulating materials for your home since there are numerous choices today ranging from roll insulation to SIPs. Whichever is right for you depends upon where you need it and may also depend on your house design. To help you make a sound decision on this matter, we offer you the following tips and materials for proper home insulation.

Ensure That the Insulation Offers the Right R-Value for Your Needs

The first thing to understand about choosing insulation is its R-value. R-value is the level of thermal resistance that the insulation material provides to a structure. Typically, each type of insulation will have this value clearly defined to inform you of it. Choose the best R-value for your house according to its location, design and your budget.

Some Material Choices for Home Insulation

1. Roll Insulation

This type of insulation comes in rolls. One side of it is the insulation material and the other side is paper backing. When installing this, the insulation material is against the structural elements of the house. The ideal time to install this insulation is during the construction process or when there is sufficient space to work in for the installers.

2. Spray-on Insulation

Spray-on foam insulation comes in both open-cell and closed-cell versions. With open-cell, it works in some of the same spaces that you can install the roll insulation in or in small spaces where people cannot stand in to work. The closed-cell version, though, is for enclosed areas that have limited access.

3. SIPs

Structural insulated panels or SIPs often are used for walls, roofs and floors to make them not only strong and durable but also energy-efficient. The makeup of these panels includes a foam core in between two pieces of structural framing, such as oriented strand boards. Using SIPs is no more expensive than traditional wood construction with the addition of insulation is in most cases.

4. Using House Wrap Material to Improve Your Home’s Insulation

House wrap is made from synthetic substances and is used in place of sheathing paper. This helps to insulate the exterior surface of the house under the brick, stone or siding. Also, it blocks moisture from entering the cavities of the walls, which prevents termites, mould and other issues from negatively affecting your house.

While there are other choices for insulating your house, we touched on the top four in the above information. Reach out for professional guidance and installation to ensure that your home is as energy-efficient as possible.

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