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Insulating your home properly is also
a function of your location. Colder climates require significantly higher
insulation R-values compared to warmer climates.
There are numerous types of
insulation to choose from for insulating your home properly. Fiberglass rolled
or batt insulation is used most commonly in residential construction. However,
there are other options to choose from, some of them offering higher R-values
per inch than rolled or batt fiberglass insulation. For example, blown-in
insulation which is made from either cellulose or fiberglass material is
literally blown into the walls and attic and is better at filling even the
smallest of nooks and crannies.
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Sprayed foam is another type of
insulation product for insulating your home that is ideal for filling wall
spaces and getting into small nooks and crannies. This type of insulation is
literally sprayed onto the walls where it then immediately expands to a
pre-determined thickness.
Rigid foam insulation is another
type of insulation that is ideal for insulating your home, particularly
around basement foundations and crawl spaces. It comes in various sized
sheets and is made out of polyurethane or polystyrene.
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More eco-friendly types of
insulation, if you prefer to be green conscious, include using cellulose and
cotton fiber insulation products. Cellulose material is nothing more than
recycled shredded newspaper. Likewise, cotton fiber based insulation comes from
recycled cotton fiber. Either of these two products is ideal for insulating you
home as they provide high R-values as well as are eco-friendly.
| When insulating your home, again it
is important to remind you that the amount of insulation required in walls,
attics and floor spaces varies with the location and region of the home. In
addition, insulating your home is also a function of wall frame thickness. For
example, 2x4 walls can only support fiberglass rolled insulation with an R-value
of R-11 as this insulation is 3.5” thick. Exterior walls constructed using 2x6s,
on the other hand, can support R-19 insulation. |
Photo by Mark Donovan |
Besides insulating your home’s walls, attics and floor areas with the various
types of batt, rolled, sprayed or rigid foam insulation, it is also important to
properly insulate around doors and windows. Doors and windows are major heat
loss culprits so make sure weather stripping is applied around them and that the
weather stripping is functioning properly, e.g. not mashed down. In addition,
the exterior frames of all doors and windows should be caulked to prevent air
leakage around door and window frames.
In addition to insulating your home,
it is also important to include a vapor barrier over the insulation prior to
installing drywall or other types of finished wall surfaces. The vapor barrier
protects the insulation and home from mold and mildew growth.
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