Types of Insulation
Winter and summer can be harsh, but you can customize your home to deal with these extreme conditions. Having insulation installed is one of the smartest moves you can make in order to protect yourself and your family from bad weather. In addition, insulation makes your home energy efficient. There are several types of insulation you can install in your home. Before you make your choice, you must first determine where you want the insulation installed. Secondly, you must establish the recommended R-values for the areas to be insulated.
Batts and Blankets
This is the most common insulation for homes. This insulation comes in rolls that you can easily transport. Within this type of insulation, you have a wide variety of materials you can choose for your insulation. The insulation materials include natural fibres, fibreglass, mineral wool, and plastic fibres.
This type of insulation is best applicable on unfinished walls, ceilings and floors. You can easily install these materials by yourself. You should fit the insulation between studs, joists and beams.
Sprayed Foam
These are chemicals that are heated and sprayed through a hose. Some of the materials used include phenolic, cementitious, polyurethane and polyisocyanurate. Once the foam is sprayed, the chemicals mix up to form thick, paint-like goo. The goo sticks to anything that it touches, including pipes and wires.
This insulation method is best for new wall cavities that are open, enclosed existing walls and unfinished attic floors.
This insulation is installed in large quantities as a pressure sprayed. Alternatively, spray containers can be used for installing the insulation.
Loose-fill Insulation
In this type of insulation, strands of fibre are blown into walls and attics using a special machine. The materials used include fibre, cellulose and mineral wool.
This type of insulation is best used for unfinished attic floors, open new wall cavities, enclosed existing wall and hard-to-reach areas. The installation method involves blowing the materials into place using the special machine.
Concrete Block Insulation
The main material used is a foam board that is placed either on outside of the wall (for a new construction) or inside a wall (for an existing home). This insulation method is best for unfinished walls—including foundation walls.
Installation of this type of insulation requires specialised skills, and you should hire the services of professional installers to do it for you.
Additional types of insulation include reflective system and structural insulated panels.