Who and how to choose the adequate insulation for my home?
In the process of choosing the adequate insulation for your home, many factors intervene. The builder needs to choose a type of insulation according to the climatic zone, the geographical space, either rural or urban, and the very design of your dwelling. Obviously, you, as the owner, should take part in this decision, since in the final choice, factors like the price/benefit relationship being offered by each insulation system intervenes.
A good idea, if you are willing to read for a while how to choose the adequate insulation, is visiting the US Department of Energy. Even so, INSULATION MASTERS wishes to share a brief guide with their clients. Take into consideration that the criteria may vary depending on climate, geographical location, and the characteristics of the house.
Outer doors: all the construction codes in the US require insulation in outer walls between the wood studs making up the frame of those walls. Of the many available types, fiberglass insulation is one of those used more often. Fiberglass is an excellent insulator, and it is fire-resistant.
Attic insulation: most building codes also require insulation in the attic. Loosely filled insulation is usually the best value for this area. Any knee walls, the vertical walls with attic space directly behind them, too, need insulation. It is simply blown-in to the depth required to meet the R-value specified by the local code. Dry cellulose insulation is made from recycled, shredded newspaper chemically treated to be fire-resistant. A radiant barrier in your attic will also keep your home cooler if you live in a hot zone.
Foundation insulation: Insulating the foundation of the house will help prevent damp rooms and mildew formation as well as it will keep the floors warm in the coldest seasons of the year. In a slab-on-grade foundation, where the bottom of the house sits directly on the ground and does not have a basement space, codes often require the slab to be insulated. The most usual method is extending rigid foam board from the top of the slab to a few feet below the bottom of it.
Duct Insulation: unless the ducts are in a climate-controlled area, they have to be air sealed and insulated to prevent loss of heat or ingress of heat. The duct wrap is the most usual system, available in a variety of densities, thickness, and with or without facings.
Do not forget that, though technical decisions like this one should always rest with a specialist, you need to be well informed regarding them.
