There are Many Options for House Insulation

There are many options for your house
insulation. In the end, it will be a personal
preference which type of insulation you will
use in your home. It would not be unusual to
utilize at least two different kinds of
insulation. Each type is preferable for a area
or conditions that an area will be exposed to.
Some of the choices are; Cellulose
insulation, fiberglass insulation, spray
insulation, foil insulation, foam insulation and
rock wool to name the most common types.
All thermal insulation is measured in R-
values. The higher the R-value the better the
insulating efficiency. If your home is older
than 1985 and has not had the insulation
upgraded, it most probably needs it.

By adding insulation in the attic, to walls,
floors, basements and crawl spaces you may
improve your home's energy efficiency. First,
check to see if the insulation in your attic,
ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors,
and crawl spaces meet the recommended
levels for your area. Your local building
codes will give you the recommend R-value
to use as a guideline. I suggest that you try to
exceed those recommendations by at least
ten percent. This is an investment. The extra
insulation cost today will be returned to you
over and over again in energy cost savings.

Insulation is made from a variety of
materials. It usually comes in five forms –
bats, rolls, loose-fill, spray-in foam and rigid
foam boards. Each type of insulation has its
own purpose and application. Bats are
made to fit snugly between the studs or
ceiling joist. They are inexpensive besides
that they do not sag or shrink and so it is
ideal for use in those places. Rolls are just
bats that did not get cut into short lengths.
Rigid foam may be a little more expensive
but the R-value is higher for each inch of
thickness. Loose fill is fine for the ceiling but I
would not use elsewhere. Spray foam is
great for applying where you are trying to
seal up cracks and holes. One of the great
features is, you do not need vapour barrier
because the foam expands and works better
than normal vapour barrier. If there are drafts
around the electrical outlets, door jams or
window frames treat this by injecting
expanding foam. It can be purchased in
small do-it yourself dispensers.