Insulation Pittsburg California

What is blown in insulation?

Blown in insulation is a more common form of insulation that is normally wrapped around the metal rebar or pipe to keep heat from transferring throughout the home. It requires a lot of caution because it isn't as dependable as the other forms of insulation. In most cases, this type of insulation falls out and makes you have to re-blow in the insulation.

It fills up gaps that might exist

Air is blown into the insulation to fill up all gaps that might exist, to improve thermal resistance. When properly installed, air-blown foam extruded polyurethane sheets are used as a complete replacement for traditional batt insulation, eliminating thermal bridging and providing an even standoff distance between framing members across floor joists and studs.

Take proper precautions

Blown-in insulation is a great product for insulating your home, and if done properly can be just as effective as its counterparts in regards to heat retention. When insulating with this method, make sure that proper precautions are taken such as clearing out all of the existing insulation from areas where blown-in insulation will be installed. This will help prevent moisture build-up, which is known to cause damage to your home. When blown-in insulation gets wet it clumps up and decreases the insulating ability of the material.

Needs great ventilation

Blown-in insulation also requires a form of ventilation because if not properly vented it can trap too much moisture in the wall cavity , which is detrimental to the health of your home. This fact combined with the aggravation involved in having to re-blow in insulation after it falls out makes this type of insulation less desired by most homeowners.

What is fiberglass batts insulation?

If you have a home with wooden slat walls, it needs to be insulated. Fiberglass batts insulation is great for this type of home because the batts are able to be cut to fit along the edges of the slats.

Myth of chemical emission

Some people think that fiberglass batts insulation may emit harmful chemicals from the furnace into your living space, but this isn't true because fiberglass insulation products meet tough endurance tests and alloys designed for a specific environment--like high heat, moisture and other elements found in furnaces--before they're sold as materials used in homes. Isn't it reassuring that someone has taken care of those details already?

Stock up when you can

Keep these bits of info in mind as you try to decide what kind of insulation is best for your home. As you shop, it's important to remember that fiberglass batts insulation isn't sold at all stores in a given market. So be sure to stock up when the opportunity presents itself in order to take advantage of big savings on major brands and styles.

Benefits

Best for use in wall and roof areas.

Easily applied and cut to size along the edges of wooden slat walls (which is how most homes were built prior to the 1970s).

Provides an R-value of between R13 and R30 per inch, depending on its thickness.

What is insulation for homes?

Insulation can refer to a variety of materials that help keep buildings warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It comes in a number of different forms including fiberglass, mineral wool, polyester batting or fiber, urethane foam boards and styrene plastic foam boards.

Insulation is essentially used as a barrier between two objects. In building construction there are serious consequences if this insulation isn't installed properly as thermal bridging will occur which is when energy from warm air inside your home escapes through wood flooring or drywall because these elements are very good at conducting heat so they act like an escape route for hot air.

Insulating your home in winter

As an example, in winter months your heater might turn on less frequently if you have good insulation. This is because the home's occupants are keeping warm via their body heat or by wearing extra clothes around the house which reduces the demand for energy. At night when nobody is home and the lights are off, all of that stored up heat inside will escape from poor insulation, causing your heater to have to keep up.

Insulating your home in summer

In summer months the opposite effect is true as heat from your home will escape to the outside through poor insulation. In this case you'll need a well-insulated exterior that reflects that heat back inside and keeps it from seeping out any cracks where air might be able to get through.

What is residential insulation?

Residential insulation is purposeful division of the airspace in a building to serve two or more heating, cooling, ventilation, or air-conditioning systems.

Three types of insulation

There are three major types of insulation materials used in homes - fiberglass batts and rolls, cellulose batting and other loose fill products, and foam boards. Fiberglass batts should be covered with at least one layer of vapor barrier such as polymer plastic sheeting or metal foil - but this layer should not come into contact with the flooring underneath the insulation material. The other types do not require a vapor barrier because they have an inherent sealant to block moisture from reaching their surfaces. There's also mineral wool boards which can provide superior thermal performance when used for high temperatures and large spans

Types of thermal insulation

Mineral wool boards can provide superior thermal performance when used for high temperatures and large spans

Fiberglass batts and rolls - Fiberglass batting is a common insulation material that comes in various widths from 3" to 14". It is often used in the densest areas of a home, such as attics. Batts come pre-cut to fit between wall studs and joists, but rolls are used where access is difficult.

Fiberglass batts can be unfaced or faced with an aluminum foil laminate material, which adds strength and reflects radiant heat back into the living area. Fiberglass batts are also available with a kraft paper facing, but this type of insulation is usually less effective.

Cellulose batting - Cellulose is another common form of insulation. It comes in bags and looks like sawdust. Unlike fiberglass batts, which can be messy to install, cellulose is easy to handle and the dust created during installation is more easily contained

Composite boards- Composite boards are available in various thicknesses and densities, but 4 inches thick by 8 feet long is the most common size. They're often combined with foil insulation to provide an effective radiant heat barrier that reflects heat back into living areas.

Foam insulation - Foam insulation is used in areas where fiberglass or cellulose can't fit, such as around recessed fixtures, open floor plans and walls that don't have a lot of studs to nail into. It's also appropriate for use on flat ceilings because there're no low spots to settle. Some types expand 1-2" thick when you first cut a hole in the side of a canister. They come with sticky backs that you can press to a wall or ceiling and trim to size with an utility knife.