Insulation Question You May Be Asking

R-value measures insulation's resistance to heat flow. It can also be referred to as "thermal resistance." The R-value of different insulating materials must be based on test methods established by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). Don't forget that R-values are determined by material type, thickness, and installed weight per square foot, not by thickness alone.

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends home insulation R-values based on where you live. These recommendations are detailed for various sections of the home, including walls, ceilings, and basements. Click here to view these R-value recommendations on a U.S. map or view these recommendations from the R-value calculator.

If you are sealing the entire building envelope, we always recommend some form of fresh air ventilation. Most building design professionals will advise you to pack the building structure as tight as possible and provide the necessary ventilation through an air exchanger attached to your heating and air conditioning system. This simple machine brings cold fresh air from the outside and passes it by the warm stale air being expelled in the winter. This allows the fresh air to pick up the heat from the thick air, maintaining energy efficiency while providing a continuous supply of fresh air. In the summer, the opposite occurs, giving the same results. In this manner, you can build a highly energy-efficient exterior shell using spray Polyurethane foam insulation while still providing controlled and energy-efficient ventilation.

Suppose you are retrofitting parts of your home, such as the attic, crawlspace, or basement walls. In that case, you will probably not need to worry about your house being sealed too tightly as air enters the building envelope every time we open the door and through windows and locations within the home that typically is not reachable because of drywall etc.

Our position regarding insulating a new home is that you will get only one chance to do the whole house. If you under-insulate, you will regret it. In the unlikely event that you over-insulate, the situation can be remedied with low-cost ventilation systems, as previously mentioned.

THere are Three Major Types of Blown-In Insulation: Loose-fill Fiberglass, Cellulose and Rock Wool.