Insulation Batts: Insulating Your Homes With Bulk Insulation

Insulating your homes may be the easiest and the most efficient way to cut heating and cooling costs in the household. Most of the time, this method involves the least amount of hassle, since it may be done by ourselves.

The Different Types of Insulation

There are different kinds of insulation. Some of these are:

1. Blanket: batts and rolls
2. Concrete block insulation
3. Foam board or rigid foam
4. Insulating concrete forms (ICFs)
5. Loose fill and blown in
6. Reflective system
7. Rigid fibrous or fiber insulation
8. Sprayed foam and foam in place
9. Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)

Each type of insulation has its own advantages. Blankets: batts and rolls are very easy to construct since they are do-it-yourself. Also, they are very suited for standard stud and joist spacing that is relatively free from obstructions and are very inexpensive. They can be installed and fitted between studs, joists, and beams, and are applicable to unfinished walls including foundation walls, floors, and ceiling.

Insulation Batts 101

As stated above, insulation batt is a type of bulk insulation, and it is designed to fit between rafters, joists, or studs. Since they are made to fit in these structures, they are proven and observed to fit very snugly into these building configurations without leaving gaps that may compromise the efficiency and effectivity of the insulation. Insulation batts are also composed of millions of tiny pockets which are able to trap air. These miniature components aid in the reduction of the transfer of heat, which causes the lowering of temperatures even in summers and the sustained heat even in cold winters. Insulation batts are also able to regulate the passing through of sound waves in your homes, and thus may also be used as acoustic insulation in some other given cases.

Insulation batts are most commonly made of three materials, namely fiberglass, mineral wool, or cotton. The most common type of insulation batt is fiberglass, which is made through melting glass and producing thin fibers with it through spinning the molten liquid. This process is done at high temperatures. Then, a binder is added to the fiberglass to hold the fibers together.

On the other hand, mineral wool is slightly similar to fiberglass, but different in the way that mineral wool’s raw material is rock (which is usually basalt) or slag (which is a waste material produced mostly from the smelting of iron ore). A binder is also added to the mineral wool to hold fibers together. Mineral wool batts are of higher density compared to fiberglass, and thus block sound more effectively and are more fire resistant.

Lastly, a relatively newer type of batt insulation is recycled cotton. This material is proven to be less of an irritant compared to fiberglass and mineral wool and is more friendly to the environment since it is made mostly of denim scraps from clothing factories. However, it is more expensive than fiberglass, is harder to find, and is more difficult to cut compared to fiberglass.

Conclusion

Picking the right type of insulation batt is very crucial. You, as the homeowner, should be able to decide which material to use according to your house’s needs and your given budget.