The Benefits of Insulation
Insulation Perth slows the flow of heat to reduce heating and cooling costs. It’s usually made of nonmetallic materials that are filled with small air spaces.
The insulating power of most insulation is rated by its R-value, which depends on type, thickness and density. Check ENERGY STAR’s chart to see recommended R-values for your climate.
Insulation slows the transfer of heat through conduction, convection and radiation, helping to maintain stable indoor temperatures. This significantly reduces energy consumption and costs in both residential and commercial applications, decreasing environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions. It also extends the lifespan of heating and cooling equipment, improving comfort and efficiency.
It’s a basic law of physics that hot things get colder and cold things get warmer, and without insulation this means your warm home will lose its heat to the cold outside in winter and vice versa in summer. Insulation creates a barrier that stops this transfer of heat and keeps your home at a healthy and comfortable temperature all year round.
The thermal resistance of insulation is measured with a rating called R-value. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation. R-values are determined by the materials used in the insulation and the thickness, although it’s important to note that R-value isn’t a measurement of the insulation itself but rather a measurement of how well it resists heat flow.
In uninsulated homes, 30-35% of the heat is lost through the roof, 21-31% through the walls and 18-25% through floor space and air leakage. With correct installation of insulated ceilings, floors and walls, this can be reduced to as little as 10-25%, saving you money on energy bills and increasing your comfort and health.
When installed correctly, insulation significantly cuts down on your energy usage and can often pay for itself in savings within a year. It is also a great way to reduce sound pollution and can improve your indoor air quality, creating a healthier environment for you and your family.
The rolled insulation must be carefully placed between the attic joists, sometimes fitting tightly, other times loosely, around and over plumbing, electrical conduit and wiring. When installed correctly, blown insulation offers a blanket of insulation across the entire attic area and is much more effective than rolled insulation as it doesn’t have to fit so tightly between each joist. This also helps to seal and prevent voids, gaps and air leaks that can decrease insulation’s effectiveness.
Types of Insulation
Insulation helps increase a home’s energy efficiency by slowing down the transfer of heat. This reduces the amount of energy needed to keep a home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and it cuts down on heating and cooling costs. It also increases comfort and decreases outside noise. Insulation is available in a variety of materials that can meet different climate needs.
Fiberglass insulation is the most common type of insulation. It’s made from glass fibers that are spun and woven together into flexible sheets or batts. It’s a cost-effective option and can be installed in sidewalls, attics, crawl spaces and cathedral ceilings.
Polyurethane foams are another popular form of insulation. They use non-chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) blowing agents that help decrease CFC levels in the atmosphere, which makes them safer for the environment and more sustainable than other types of insulation. Polyurethane insulation has an R-value of between 2.9 and 3.8 per inch of thickness, depending on the type used.
Cellulose insulation is made from recycled paper products, such as newsprint and cardboard. It is then reduced to a fine, fibrous material and combined with mineral borate for fire resistance. It’s usually treated to make it water resistant as well. It’s a green choice and packs tightly into building cavities to offer high R-values.
Mineral wool insulation is another eco-friendly option. There are two main types; rock wool and slag wool. Both are composed of a combination of natural elements, including slag waste product from steel mills. They’re often incorporated into blanket insulation or loose-fill and have an R-value of between 2.8 and 3.5 per inch of thickness.
Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are prefabricated insulated building components used in place of wood or metal studs to build walls, floors and roofs. They’re an excellent choice for new construction projects as they allow the structure to be built more quickly, with greater precision and higher R-values than traditional wood-framed construction.
Insulation Materials
There are many different insulation materials available on the market today. They range from bulky fiber materials like fiberglass, rock and slag wool, cellulose, and natural fibers to rigid foam boards and sleek foils. These materials resist conductive and — to a lesser extent — convective heat flow in a building cavity. They also prevent radiant heat flow by reflecting it away from living spaces.
One of the most popular types of insulation for new home construction is structural insulated panels (SIPs). These are usually made with plywood, oriented strand board, or drywall glued and sandwiched around a liquid foam, polyisocyanurate, compressed straw, or expanded polystyrene core. They offer high R-values, good strength, and resistance to moisture and fire. They can be a good choice for energy efficient homes, as they reduce the need for framing studs and other wood members in the walls, floors, and roof of the house.
Another popular type of insulation is loose-fill or blown-in. This type is sold in bags and requires special equipment to be blown into wall cavities and attics. It can be made from fiberglass, cellulose, or mineral wool. Mineral wool may also contain recycled material, such as slag from molten metals, which increases its resistance to fire. It is less expensive than other forms of insulation.
Foam boards and spray insulation are other common types of insulation. Open and closed-cell spray foam can be used for new construction or to insulate existing walls, floors, and ceilings. Both of these options are fairly quick and easy to install, but they do require a professional.
Other common insulation materials are cellulose, which is made from recycled paper and shredded plants such as cotton, wheat straw, and hemp; foamed plastics such as polystyrene and polyisocyanurate; and various nonmetallic minerals, including vermiculite and perlite. These are often combined with other materials such as wood, glass, or mineral fibers to provide a more versatile insulator.
Certain old insulation materials such as asbestos are no longer being used, however, because of health hazards associated with inhaling the particles. In addition, several of these materials have been found to pose a threat to the environment.
Installation
Insulation can decrease the amount of heat entering your home when it’s hot and trap warmth inside when it’s cold. It’s a relatively inexpensive home improvement that can save you big on energy costs. In addition, insulation reduces the level of noise that travels between your house and outside.
Before you choose an insulation contractor, make sure they are licensed and insured. This will protect you against any mishaps or poor workmanship during the installation process. You should also ask about the company’s pricing structure and their warranty policy.
The cost of an insulation project varies depending on the type of insulation and your local climate. A good starting point is to get quotes from several companies. Be wary of contractors that offer significantly lower prices, as this could indicate inferior materials or workmanship.
It’s important that you communicate to the insulation team what you want your attic space to look like in the long term (storing things or finishing it out for a bedroom, for example). This information will help determine the best type of insulation to use. The contractor should also be aware of any air leaks or other issues that may affect the effectiveness of your new insulation, such as moisture and animal damage.
Whether your insulation is unfaced or faced will also have an impact on the installation process. Unfaced insulation is easy to work with and doesn’t require a lot of strength or skill. It is inserted between the studs in your wall and trimmed around windows, door frames, electrical outlets and plumbing. It can be stapled or glued to the wood framing with a staple gun or glue. Faced insulation requires more attention, as the paper flange can be damaged during the installation process and must be removed and replaced before it can be installed in the wall.
If your home has an attic that’s difficult to access, the contractors will need more time to prepare the space for insulation. They’ll have to remove any existing insulation and clean up the attic before installing new materials. This process can take a day or two, and it’s important to keep this in mind when planning your home improvement budget.
