Heat Cool and Insulate » Insulation

Anyone used “ceramic” paint? It’s an additive (powder) and the claim is it increases the insulation/R-value.?

jstroud — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:03:18 +0000

I have a masonite-sided home and want to use a good, exterior paint to protect it and increase my insulation – let me know if you’ve used ceramic as an additive and whether it works. Thanks in advance.

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What R value insulation for ohio (walls, attic)?

jstroud — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:51:07 +0000

I am currently remodeling my house and am needing to re-insulate. What kind of insulation should I use in the walls and attic? I want to use fiberglass rolls but not sure what r value will work best.

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What happens with the R-value of insulation when applied on a circular pipe?

jstroud — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 01:06:13 +0000

Is it true that as thicker insulation is applied around a pipe that eventually the increase in surface area compared to the increase in thickness results in the R-value decreasing rather than increasing?

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What is the insulation R value of a 1-inch thick telephone book?

jstroud — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:17:33 +0000

They seem like they would make good insulation, and the phone company is giving them away. Do phonebooks make good insulation, and how do they compare to other forms of insulation?

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Reusable Bags News » Blog Archive » Benefits Of Having Home Insulation

Which garage door insulation r value?

jstroud — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:15:39 +0000

We need to get a new garage door for our home, and are unsure which r value to go with. The higher r value means better insulation, but we are unsure how high to go and still be able to notice the difference. We do have a room over our garage, but will we really notice the difference in r values? We want to get the best value, and hate to spend the extra money on a really high r value if we won’t be able to notice much of a difference?

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The Reasons For Garage Insulation Unveiled

Jeff — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:01:03 +0000

I imagine that not a lot of thought is put into garage insulation by you. Because of the energy savings, most people who own their home are very conscious about insulating their walls and attic well. Most people do not bother with their garage though as it is considered more of an outside area and is not heated or air conditioned, so it isn’t really that important.

COuld we possibly be wrong concerning this? If you don’t have any insulation in your garage, the temperature inside of it can be just the same as the outsid whether it’s hot or cold. This almost certainly isn’t an issue with your garage, but if the walls between your garage and your inside are not insulated, you can be talking about an acute amount of energy depletion. Not only this but insulation acts as a barrier against fumes and other contaminants, and without insulation in there your home can be subjected to these chemicals.

The absolute best way in which to keep these damaging things inside of your garage from coming in your home is to make sure that the walls and ceiling that separates the two is insulated. There are several different types of insulation that you can use in this situation, and making the right decision can really make a huge difference.

Batt insulation, long a popular choice for insulating attics and walls, is often the first type of insulation homeowners think of when insulating. While the R-values (the rating of insulation performance) for batt insulation may be similar to other insulating materials, it is not the best choice for garages.

Batt insulation is purchased in rolls, and is installed by rolling it between the studs. The batts do not seal spaces between the wall and ceiling and gaps can form between insulation rolls. Energy is allowed to escape through these gaps and fumes are also allowed to enter. Batt insulation is also susceptible to damage from moisture, further reducing its insulating ability.

You can also get foamboard insulation which are sheets of solid molded polystyrene. This insulation material has similar R-value is as batt insulation but isn’t as bulky or heavy. The downfall of foamboard insulation, just like that insulation is the fact that it has the inability to fill up all the gaps thereby leaving spaces just like Batt insulation.

With the main intent and purpose of being to prevent fumes from coming in and energy escaping, you need to get a material that is going to effectively seal off your garage walls and ceiling This barrier can effectively be created by making use of spray foam insualtion as it works to fill in all of the gaps. One of the other benefits of using spray foam besides the fact that it has very good R-Value is the fact that it is resistant to moisture.

Obtain the Most Economic Value from Your Roof Insulation

Jeff — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:00:45 +0000

The chief measure of the value of any insulation is its R-Value. The purpose and design of insulation is to check the outflow of heat. The more heat the insulation stops, the higher the R-Value of that insulation.

For any given thickness, spray insulation has a much higher R-value then does fiberglass batt insulation. In other words, 2 inches of spray foam will insulate your roof better than 2 inches of fiberglass batts.

Cellulose fill, either blown-in or applied by hand, also has a higher R-value than fiberglass batts at the same thickness. This still doesn’t compare to the R-value of spray foam insulation though, as it is almost twice as high as the cellulose fill insulation of a comparable thickness.

R-value is truly important yes, but it is not the only factor that you want to bring into consideration when trying to choose the best insulation for your home. Moisture will cause both fiberglass batts and cellulose fill to lose R-value. Just a small amount of moisture is enough to cancel out the insulating properties of fiberglass batt and cellulose.

Neither cellulose fill or fiberglass will be able to give you the 100% caverage that you really need with your insulation The fact that heat is allowed to pass through these gaps is obvious, but these facts are not computed into the R-values of these two materials. In other words, the actual R-value of installed fiberglass batt or cellulose fill roof insulation is lower than the listed R-value.

Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation

There are no adverse actions of spray foam if it gets some moisture on it. SPray foam can even in actuality help to prevent leaks in your roof as it effectively expands to fill up every crack and crevice in your roof thus effectively sealing it off. If for some reason your home is exposed to pollutants or other harmful airborne things, your foam insulation will effectively keep it out whereas the gaps that are left behind with the fiberglass and cellulose will let it through.

Probably the most beneficial aspect of spray foam insulation is the fact that you can get it done for around the same cost as your traditional types of insulation materials.

Insulating with fiberglass is the most efficient way of cutting energy bills

Jeff — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 03:45:20 +0000

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Fiberglass insulation has been the top selling insulation material for both commercial and residential buildings. Its high R value and ”no tools required” installation are the most important reasons fiberglass tops the list among the several available insulation products.

The term R rating is used to describe the capability of an insulation product to prevent the transfer of heat; the product will work more effectively the greater its R value. Insulation with higher R values will help to keep the heat in your home and save you money on your total energy costs. Different climates will have different R rating requirements, and will therefore need different solutions and products. You will not require a high R rating product if you live in a warmer climate. You will see the most benefit from high R value products in cold climates, as it is the most effective insulation at curtailing heat loss.

Since it is in the “loose-fill” insulation category, fiberglass is flexible enough to squeeze into even the smallest space and also cover the bigger areas of walls and attics. Fiberglass insulation is manufactured using glass that has been melted and then spun into fibers. Using recycled glass for much of the raw materials makes fiberglass insulation a reliable and eco-friendly product. This fiberglass is then packaged both as rolls (utilizing a backing paper) or loosely bagged “blow-in” insulation.

The most popular type of insulation used in home construction is fiberglass rolls, which are usually sold in widths perfect for fitting into the space between joists and between wall studs. The large, pink rolls of fiberglass insulation have become a common sight.

Blow-in insulation is preferrable for areas where accessibility is nearly impossible, like eaves and irregular crawl spaces. Using this kind of insulation, small chunks of fiber are quickly blown into the space using specialized equipment. To help protect against settling, which could lessen its effectiveness, many of the blow-in products are coated with a special adhesive that keeps everything in place.

Another possible problem with blow-in fiberglass is the mess. If you disturb the stuff, it will wind up in places you don’t want it, like on the carpet and in your hair and down your back. So, if you plan on using your attic as a storage space, it would be best to use the pink rolls and then cover the joists with plywood. This will have the added benefit of further insulating the house. You can also box in the blow-in fiberglass, but working with the rolls is just a lot easier, less time consuming, and less expensive.