Most energy use in your home comes from heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. However, one way to keep your energy bills lower and keep you more comfortable is by ensuring your home is properly insulated. This article tells about the different types of insulation so you can make sure you have the best type to fit the needs of your home.
What’s Insulation?
If you’re not sure what insulation is, we’ll dive into that first. Insulation is resistant material that protects your home from letting outside temperatures in, and your set inside temperatures out. Depending on the type, thickness, and density of the insulation in your home, you can experience better climate control and energy efficiency, but the trick is having the right insulation for different areas in your home.
Types of Insulation
Different types of insulation are made from different materials and may work more effectively in different areas of your home. Common insulation materials are fiberglass, cellulose, foam, mineral wool, and natural fibers.
Rolled Insulation
Rolled insulation is just what it sounds like: a blanket of insulation rolled up so it’s fairly easy to place yourself. Rolled insulation works best for DIY-ers for this reason and it’s one of the most affordable types of insulation. Rolled insulation is installed in pieces that lie beside each other, leaving less room for gaps that air could pass through. This insulation is rolled between wall and ceiling framing and can come in pre-cut lengths for easy installation.
Insulation Batts
Insulation batts are similar to rolled insulation, as they come in pre-cut sections that fit between framing in walls, floors, and ceilings. This type of insulation is also very affordable and great for those who like to DIY. Insulation batts can be made from fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool, natural fibers and recyclable materials, giving you the option to choose. They’re relatively easy to handle, but may not seal gaps as well as rolled insulation.
Loose-Fill Insulation
Loose fill insulation is not so DIY-friendly as you must have special equipment to blow or spray this insulation into place. This type of insulation is great to use in attics or oddly-shaped areas where you may only need to fill in corners or gaps. Because of the special equipment used to install this type of insulation, it is on the more expensive side. However, if you have oddly shaped areas or tight-squeezes that need to be insulated, this may be your best option.
Spray Foam Insulation
Spray foam insulation is similar to loose-fill insulation in that you may need special equipment to get this job done, if it’s a large job. If there are only small gaps or areas that you need to fill in, this insulation comes in an easy-to-use spray can. Once sprayed, the liquid latex or polyurethane foam expands and hardens in place. This type of insulation is great for oddly-shaped places, small gaps, and sealing around doors and windows. Once the foam sets, it can even be trimmed and painted.
What Can I Do?
If you’re planning to insulate your home yourself, first you’ll need to decide where you’re going to use the insulation. Walls and attics are the most important places you should have insulation, however, you could be losing energy from other areas of your home that need more insulation as well. Use an insulation calculator to figure out how much you need, or get an inspection from a professional.
Please also note that the materials used in insulation are known to be skin irritants, so using protective covering on your skin and over your eyes is imperative when handling it yourself.
Learn More
Garrison & Garrison is an American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning Customer Care Dealer. We care about the comfort of your whole home, and we constantly provide tips and advice for maximum comfort and energy savings.
For questions or more information give us a call at 256-859-8500. We make recommendations on a home by home basis, and you can rest easy knowing your comfort system is in good hands with us.
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