Best Residential Insulation Practices

R value is a measurement based on a material s ability to resist heat flow.

Best residential insulation practices.

Insulation tips for hot humid climates. The best insulation types for your home new insulation options are less toxic and more energy efficient. By susan lahey november december 2006. 14 best practices for high performance homes from our experts.

It consists of flexible fibers most commonly fiberglass. Air krete cementitious foam is a nontoxic insulation that s sprayed into wall cavities. Batts are about the worst you can do here. Blanket batts and rolls are typically constructed with fiberglass although versions made of cotton mineral wool.

Here are some best practices for reducing thermal bridging. The best way to insulate your house or church school or office building greatly depends on what type of environment you live in if you look at historic houses and buildings you can learn a lot about how to design for your climate because early builders had to adapt to the local conditions to try to make buildings as comfortable as possible. R values can be higher for foam insulation and other advanced insulation systems. Blanket insulation the most common and widely available type of insulation comes in the form of batts or rolls.

See that photo above. What is the best insulation. For the best performance an insulation material needs to fill the whole space with no gaps voids compression or incompletely filled areas. You also can find batts and rolls made from mineral rock and slag wool plastic fibers and natural fibers such as cotton and sheep s wool.

Notice that you don t see insulation filling all the spaces between the ceiling joists. Do it yourself insulation of unfinished walls floors and ceilings. The higher the r value the better that material is for insulation. One way to assess what is the best insulation is by a measurement called an r value.

Cavity fibrous or cellulose insulation can be installed at levels up to r 15 in a 2 inch x 4 inch wall and up to r 21 in a 2 inch x 6 inch wall. Get the input of architects trade partners suppliers and other decision makers while the project is still in the design phase. Thermal bridging can best be minimized in the design phase by a designer who includes cost effective thermal bridge free details. Icynene foam insulation is blown in using water and contains no cfcs or formaldehyde once cured.

Whenever possible site the home to take advantage of southern exposure on the rear with fewer penetrations on the north side.