Insulation
“Inefficient Insulation is like burning Money”
“It's Your Money, Would You Rather Invest It In Your Home Or
Your Utility/Power Company?”
In this era of rising energy costs, choosing the best insulation
for your application is more important than ever. Whether it’s
new construction or an existing home/structure, a properly
insulated home/building will save you a lot of money! Studies
have shown that improperly or insufficient insulation costs
utility customers up 50% more than what they would normally pay
on their utility bills. This Insulation section of our website
will provide you with concise information on the
services/products that we provide. This will enable you to make
wise decisions when choosing your insulation for your energy
saving application.
US Insulation provides a variety of insulation services for both residential and commercial customers, including:
NEW CONSTRUCTION
•
Acoustical
•
Cellulose Blown in Attic Ceiling & Wall
Insulation – Fiber America Cellulose
•
Fiberglass Batt Insulation – Guardian Batts
•
Fiberglass Blown In Attic Insulation – Guardian Attic Guard
Plus
•
Open Cell 1/2 lb. Foam... - Guardfoam 55
•
Closed Cell 2 lb. Foam - Guardfoam 55
•
3/4 lb. Foam - Demilec Agribalance
•
Spray Foam Insulation – Guardian Air Tite System
•
Solar Guard Radiant Barrier – Guardian Solar Guard
•
Green Products and Approvals of insulation
materials
EXISTING HOME OWNERS:
•
Cellulose Blown in Attic Ceiling & Wall
Insulation – Fiber America Cellulose
•
Fiberglass Blown In Attic Insulation – Guardian Attic Guard
Plus
•
Green Products and Approvals of insulation
materials
(Please click on the above links to
learn more about all of our insulation products)
INSULATION – The Basic Facts
Most of us spend the majority of our time in our homes (and for
those of us who spend the majority of our time at work, we wish
we spent more time at home!) So, of course, we want it to be as
comfortable as possible and affordable to maintain. Insulation
is one of the most important components of a home that can help
to affordably keep you and your family comfortable year-round.
In the "Insulation and Air Quality" article, we talked about how
insulation is like a home's clothes. Just like you need to
bundle up on a cold day, so your home needs to also be bundled
up against the elements.
For example, if the air temperature outside your home is 95
degrees F, and you've cooled the inside air temperature to 72
degrees F, proper insulation will help to keep the hot air
outside and the cool air inside. This keeps you comfortable and
keeps your air conditioning bill to a minimum. While the concept
may sound simple, a home's insulation system is quite complex --
entire books have been written about the subject. So, in this
article we'll give you the basic facts so that you can talk
knowledgeably with your builder about how your new home will be
insulated. And if you're planning on remodeling your home and
want to know more about insulation, this article will give you
an overview to start you out.
How Heat Moves
The main function of insulation is to control heat flow. So in
order to understand how insulation works, you need to first
understand how heat moves.
In addition to heat from the sun and burning fuel, heat is also
generated by people, animals and lights. In fact, as much as 30
percent of heat produced inside a home can be caused by lights
and appliances.
The heat generated by all of these sources moves from place to
place by three basic principles:
Radiation Convection Conduction
How Heat Flow Affects Your Home
Heat transfers through walls, windows, and roof of a home using
a combination of radiation, conduction, and convection. Heat
moves from warm to cold. In the summer, when it's warm outside,
heat transfers through exterior walls, roof, and foundation of a
home to the inside of the home. This process is referred to as
heat gain. In the winter, the opposite will happen. Heat
generated by the HVAC system moves through the building
enclosure and is lost to the outside of the home. This process
is referred to as heat loss.
In the summer, uncontrolled heat gain can cause you to be
uncomfortably warm. Your thermostat will react to the warm
temperatures, and the air conditioning system will have to run
more often and for longer periods of time, resulting in higher
utility costs. The same thing can happen in the winter, when
uncontrolled heat loss can make your home drafty and chilly. To
keep warm, you'll need to turn up the thermostat, and the
heating system will have to run more often and for longer
periods of time, again resulting in higher utility costs.
How Insulation Works
A carefully considered insulation strategy that takes into
account the house's characteristics and the climate it's in is
essential for controlling heat gain and loss through the
building enclosure, which includes the roof, walls, and
foundation. It does this by slowing the rate of heat flow
through the building enclosure -- which has a significant
influence on how comfortable you and your family are in your
home.
Insulation is typically referred to by its R-value. R-value is
the measure of a material's resistance to heat flow. The higher
the R-value, the more resistant a material is to heat flow. If
you lived in the north, for example, you'd want R-19 insulation
in your walls instead of R-13, because R-19 insulation is more
resistant to heat flow, and will hold in the heat longer. If
you're remodeling your own home, you'll want to find out the
ideal levels for your region.
The building enclosure should be insulated continuously without
gaps. Having gaps in the building enclosure is similar to
wearing a warm coat, but no gloves or hat. But keeping the
insulation continuous is tricky. There are numerous openings in
the building enclosure, like for windows, doors, electrical
outlets, plumbing pipes, and lighting fixtures. All gaps or
openings need to be sealed so that the insulation is continuous.
Choosing an insulation material and installing it right are
critical steps in the insulation strategy. Now that you know the
basics about how insulation works, and why it's critical in your
home, start talking with your builder about the insulation
strategy they're choosing for your home, and why. You should do
this in the planning and design phases of your new home or
remodeling project.
