If you wish to insulate traditionally this page tries to discuss a couple of types of standard insulation. It can be a very complex and time consuming process – if done correctly. The links to the right are all very important if you wish to do an effective job of insulating your structure. Please follow all of these guidelines carefully for optimal energy efficiency.
As insulating materials have changed over time one factor has remained consistent and dominant in the quest for superior insulation – the proper installation of the insulation. The dominant insulation on the market today – fiberglass – can be difficult to install properly and consistently in the myriad of situations a typical house design will present. Improper sealing to the wall stud, compression by electrical wires, complex framing or simply incomplete coverage all combine to make fiberglass insulation significantly less effective than in laboratory situations. In fact, fiberglass, ironically, resists air movement very little, and is the primary material used in home HVAC system air filters.
Spray foam insulation, with the same approximate R value of fiberglass, has its own set of issues to deal with. Although it is also a petroleum foam product that’s pretty much where the similarity with our closed cell foam ends. Most spray foams are of 1/2lb density and are open cell in structure – think of a sponge. It also acts like a sponge in many ways so you’ve still got to be very careful about moisture penetration. Since the foam will transmit moisture if pressure differentials are present, it will also hold moisture – like a sponge – if no differential exists. This foam is not structural so does not add to the strength of the building. You also need to be sure that the installer is entirely filling the wall cavity! Because the stud will wick thermal energy (hot or cold) in from the outside, an open cavity in the stud wall (even 1/2″ deep) will establish convective currents cycling the cold air wicking through the stud with the warmth radiating from the backside of your sheetrock. Moving air wreaks havoc with R values and your sheetrock will feel colder in winter with airgaps on the backside of it than if it was in substantial contact with the spray foam. The building scientists at Advanced Energy discuss at length this “blanket theory” of insulation – if the blanket is not in contact with your body – for instance if it is hovering 1/2″ over your body – then it will be significantly less effective than it could be. Spray foam is a fine product, again, just make sure it is installed properly!
After you’ve ensured that the proper volume of spray foam has been applied you’ve got another thing to consider. Spray foam insulation will also very often peel away from wall surfaces that it had originally stuck to – creating the very gap for air flow that it was supposed to seal against. Of course all of these issues are most often covered up with sheetrock before the homeowner ever comes into the picture – and he wonders why certain walls and corners always feel cold to the touch. Houses can be very complex structures – the proper installation of insulation takes time and attention, two factors often in short supply on the job site.
Eco-Panels takes the guesswork out of insulation installation by constructing our panels under a high pressure foam injection process that ensures that our wall and roof panels are entirely filled with foam insulation. Electrical conduit, window and door framing are installed in our panels PRIOR to foam injection so that the foam insulation completely fills the wall panel and surrounds everything in it. Further we have the only wall panel on the market with completely filled foam corners – a previously weak (or non-existant) point of insulation for traditional framing systems or structural insulated panels. Our closed cell polyurethane foam insulation acts as one of the strongest glues in the building industry eliminating any “peel away” concerns and allowing us to offer a lifetime warranty against delamination from siding materials.
Demand that careful attention be paid with all aspects of your structure’s insulation – it is significantly more complex than you may first imagine. If you insist on using more traditional methods of insulation – pay attention to the installation. We have attempted to provide numerous documents on the right to assist in doing an effective job. Or, you can use Eco-Panels and rest comfortably knowing that we have taken care of most of these issues for you.
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