photo by Jacquie Van Wagner
How can you reduce heating/cooling bills, pollution, and dependence on foreign oil, and increase your comfort, all in one move? By having fantastic insulation.
Factors to consider
Great insulation in your walls, attic, and even crawl space is the single most important element in an energy efficient home. And it makes life so much more enjoyable.
What kind of insulation you use depends on your attitudes about natural materials, petroleum products, off-gassing, and price.
Also, whether you are doing a remodel or new construction, how thick your walls are, and what level of “perfection” you want to achieve.
Types of insulation
There is a surprising number of insulation types these days.
- Fiberglass: blankets (batts, rolls), loose sprayed
- Cellulose: loose, dense-pack sprayed
- Foam, sprayed: polyurethane (closed- and open-cell), Icynene, Airkrete
- Foam boards: polystyrene, polyisocyanurate, polyurethane
- Cotton batts
- Wool: batts, loose sprayed
- Mineral Wool: blankets (batts, rolls), loose fill
There is no need to become an expert, unless you are fascinated by the the subject. Here are some quick tips.
How to decide
Most homes have fiberglass batts, especially in the walls. Some have loose cellulose in the attics. The problem with fiberglass batts is it’s nearly impossible to get into all the nooks and crannies.
An increasingly common next step up is cellulose—loose for filling existing walls, wet-sprayed for new walls. Sprayed is especially good at filling all the little spaces.
Some sprayed foams have a better insulation value for a given wall thickness. So if you want the most insulating effect look into foam.
On the other hand, if you aren’t overly concerned about maximizing the effect, but want natural materials, cotton and wool are great alternatives. And they are the easiest for do-it-yourselfers.
When there is an opportunity to add insulation onto the exterior of the walls, foam boards work well. This is an excellent way to block heat loss through the two by fours, which are not good insulation.
So, if you want to improve your comfort, and possibly reduce energy related problems, spend a little time on your choice of insulation.