High quality insulation is one of the best investments you can make in your home. You will see a quicker return on your investment by choosing right the first time.
The most critical places to improve your insulation are attics, crawl spaces, basement ceilings, and exterior walls. If the insulation is installed properly the savings can be anywhere from 20% to 50%. In the Energy Conservation business there is something called effective R value. Insulation is rated upon its effectiveness. Just because your fiberglass batt says it is a R30 if installed improperly it could be R20, this is something the general public has not been educated on. YOU CAN INSTALL INSULATION WRONG!
Many homeowners are aware that cold or wam air may be entering their home thru windows, doors, and walls, but few realize they are losing energy from air loss to the attic. That is why we also air seal along with insulating. Some homes if over insulated may also experience condensation problems, which few insulation contractors consider.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSULATION
The first thing we need to think about is R value. R value is what determines how resistant to heat a specific product is. The higher the R the better it resists heat transmission. The other thing we need to look at is how effective it is at stopping air flow. Let's look at the different types of insulation.
Blown Cellulose Insulation: Cellulose is made of 85% recycled content And carries a very high R value in comparison to fiberglass. R value are tested at a standard temperature and a value is assigned. Many tests were done at lower than the standard test temperatures and these tests show that the higher or lower the actual temperature the stated r values of fiberglass can decrease as much as 40%. Cellulose also carries a higher thermal mass than other insulation materials, which means it holds more heat.It also stops air transfer 30% better than fiberglass. It typically costs a little more than glass but is clearly a better product in most cases.
Blown Fiberglass Insulation: People associate this with itchy. The new fiberglass has fibers so small they can't penetrate your skin which causes the itch. The product we use is Certified 35% recycled, Green Guard Certified, Green Guard certified for schools and places of play. It also is guaranteeds not to settle for as long as you have your home, which means you only do it once. The installation is also very clean and quick. One of the drawbacks is it does not stop air either. Some of the problems with condensation are similar to cellulose.
Air Sealing Insulation: This is a very important step to insulating as the Department of Energy estimates that 40% of heating and cooling costs are lost to uncontrolled air leakage within the building envelope. If your insulation contractor does not mention air sealing this should be a big red flag.
Fiberglass Batts Insulation: This very traditional insulation has worked and will continue to work if installed properly. It is critical that this is in contact with the thermal boundary. If it is not in contact with the thermal boundary it will not work. Remember effective R value. It is also critical before insulating in cases like new construction air sealing is critical.
Judge for yourself, but we feel you will receive a service second to none. We have the proof. Check out our Insulation Services we offer.
Feel free to contact us anytime and check out our Insulation Services and Home Energy Audits we offer.
We will always treat you the way we would want to be treated
