House Insulation - Best Options

House insulation has always been a necessity in colder places of the world all because of the extreme nature of the climate in both hot and cold weather. This is also triggered by the fact that maintaining comfortable temperatures inside the house can be expensive, not to mention that it is an ongoing yearly energy expense.

The expenses on insulating your residence can be considered an investment knowing that it is quite hefty. The consolation is that it is a one-time expense compared to the yearly payment to keep your house in comfort.

Areas  

For some consolation, there are only a handful of places that need to be insulated in your house. Obvious examples would be the attics and the walls.

With proper insulation, the ROI on your investment would be definitely raised. The reason is that the insulation on the critical parts of your house raises its total value. 

More places

The other areas that need insulation would be your ceilings with unheated spaces, the basement walls, the floors above the vented crawl spaces, the cathedral ceilings, and the floors over unheated garages and porches.

It is also wise to include insulating such areas like the knee walls and the in-between interior walls (like the bathroom). The goal is to envelop the entire house in insulating materials.

Sampler

One example of proper insulation would be the use of fiberglass. This material can keep your house cool during the summer months and keep it warm in winter.

The technology is simply that the insulation resists the flow of heat from one place to the other. As an energy form, heat moves out of the house in winter (looking for the cool places) and flows inside during summer (which is unwanted at the time).

Added advantage

There is an additional advantage in the use of fiberglass as insulating material. It keeps out the heat while at the same time it works as a sound absorber. Installed in walls and ceilings, the material can reduce (noticeably) the transmission of unnecessary sound.

This is an advantage these days as the surrounding environment in most places is getting unnecessarily noisier. Some house owners have separate sound proofing installations on their houses.

Types

The required insulation is defined in terms of the R value. This is the resistance value of a material to heat passing through it. The higher the R-value, the greater is the material’s insulating qualities.

However, choosing the insulation material strictly on its high R-value is not entirely correct. R-values of insulation for specific houses also depend on the local climate and existing building codes. You need to familiarize on their properties.

There are also other options with regards to these insulation materials for your house as there are varieties.  You can pick out fiberglass, mineral wool, cellulose, foam or cotton.

Options on materials

There are many varieties of insulation materials that you can use – fiberglass, mineral wool, cellulose, foam and cotton. (A manufacturer has just added a new mineral wool, earthwool in its line-up.)

Choosing the materials for your house insulation needs to include such factors as thermal grades (R-value), lifetime performance, fire safety, moisture among others.

Insulation - The Two Common Types

In layman’s terms, we think of insulation as the prevention of heat, cold or sound, from being transmitted from one place to another. With usage, it also refers to the materials that confine these natural phenomena (cold, heat or sound) in their places. (In electricity, we use rubber and other non-conductive materials to handle it safely.)

Insulation, as we know it, works in many ways. However, it is mostly composed of materials with millions of very small pockets of air. As it is, air is a good insulator that gives materials with trapped air in them their high thermal resistance. With the right densities, it even stops sound.

Thermal insulation

This is the type of insulation used in walls and ceilings, as well as the outside walls of houses where heat is usually lost (in cold seasons) or gained (in hot seasons). Basically, thermal insulation is to keep one side (the inside of a house) of the insulating material warmer than the other (the extreme cold outside).

In places where it is extremely hot or cold for long periods, your insulation design in keeping your house warm or cool (comfortable temperatures for people) should follow the climate changes. This usually is the case in temperate countries (with hot and cold seasons) and in other places where it is perpetually cold.

The thermal insulation is usually measured in “R values’ for its effectiveness. When the R value is higher, the thermal insulation it gives is better. RM is the total value of the thermal resistance of the materials used. RT is the total value of the heat resistance provided by the whole construction including the materials.

Sound insulation

Insulation is also applicable in controlling sound. At some points, the types of insulation used in thermal control also can control both sound and heat. These insulating properties (called acoustic insulation) are usually found in walls, ceilings, and floors.

However, specialized soundproofing (the other term for acoustic insulation) is usually applied to special places (theaters, recording studios) that need this type of insulation.

In places where extreme external noise is generated (highways, airports, train lines, factories), there are other specialized methods in keeping off the outside sound. Acoustic insulation measures are usually done on windows and other places in buildings that receive these unnecessary sounds.

Double work

Some people think that heat insulation can also stand in to do the job of sound insulation. In some ways, they can. However, the design tends to lean on one area or the other. Thermal insulation is best for temperature control.

On the other hand, acoustic insulation can control the pitch and volume of the sound from somewhere into entering, but it cannot guarantee that heat (or cold) is kept off. Depending on the construction of your house or of the materials used, or maybe your area, thermal insulation can sometimes take care and keep out the unnecessary acoustics (sounds). 

The best way to deal with these is to use thermal insulation for heat and cold matters, while acoustic matters should also be dealt with accordingly.

Insulation Roof - Installs Easy

Experts had already declared that around 25% of the heat that are lost from an un-insulated home goes through the roof. The good news is that you now can install quite easily your insulation roof. The saving s on your energy bill will definitely be more it that problem is solved.

A cold loft is usually the area it is needed to insulate immediately in order to preclude the escape of heat. In relation to costs, there is a wide range of options available for roof insulation which can sometimes be inexpensive.

Some people do it DIY (do-it-yourself) although there are projects that would really need some experienced expertise. This happens because some3 of the specialty projects need some specialty equipments/machines.

Installation

The cheapest among the loft insulation installation is the cold loft option. This is considered classic. This involves insulation between and over the wooden joists that re immediately above the ceiling of your top floor. Sometimes, it can be done DIY.

If your loft is for storage, you need to clear it with the authorities like any grant-assisted work. Grants, either 100& or partial, will not really cover the costs of clearing a loft. (You can still use it to check on your stored items if you still need them. 

Costs

Many options available for rood insulation are many and they are not that expensive. Energy-efficient grants are available at present for cold loft roof insulation.

Warm roof solutions, generally, are expensive. However, they can provide a higher level of heat retention. You can also get around more easily using the loft in storing temperature sensitive items.                         

Types

A warm deck or roof usually refers to the situation where the deck of the roof, usually made of wood, is below the insulation. Cold deck or roof is when the insulation is below the rood deck (and to the joists).

There is a gap needed to be left for ventilation. Since this is a cold area, there could be some form of condensation which can lead to rot.

The inverted rood is the condition where the insulation goes above the weather membrane where it protects it from the heat and cold. (Both of these conditions can shorten its life and that of the roof deck.) It can also protect it from wear and tear. (The roof’s topmost layer is generally gravel or something similar.)

Notes

There are some things that you need to be reminded of. For roof insulations, you need to cover the pipes with pipe insulation. The loft is colder because the insulation keeps the warmth in the floors below.

Basically, insulation needs to go up the side and over any tanks (Special tank insulation can be used).  There is no need to insulate under any tanks as without some heat coming from below. If your tank is raised, you can insulate the underside of the tank. Always leave electric cables as they are so they can remain cool.

Insulation needs to go up the side and over any tanks or a special tank insulation can be used. You need not insulate under any tanks as without some heat coming in from below. If your tank is raised, you can insulate the underside of the tank. Leave electric cables as they are so they can remain cool.

Overall, insulation roof, compared with the situation in others, is relatively easy to install.

Roof Insulation - Top Concern

The roof is the topmost part of the house and gets the radiation heat from the sun full-on, more than any other house part. Over and above its main task of stopping the sun’s heat, it also preserves the energy while giving more comfort with less overall cost on utilities. Doing this it would then need roof insulation.

With the insulation, there is better thermal protection in cold situation during winter time. The insulation works by preserving the convection of the heat inside the house. At the opposite, it reduces the chances of thermal moisture that can result in molds and mildew.

Insulation materials

For the roof, the insulation materials come in two types. One is the reflective insulation material and the other is the bulk insulation material. This one comes in forms like blanket, blown-in cellulose, rigid boards and sprayed foam.

In hot and cold conditions, the insulation roof using reflective materials is good for controlling better the unwanted temperature gain (or loss) including moisture penetration. Most homes and commercial buildings unite both materials (reflective foil and bulk insulation) to create complete insulation systems.

Reflective materials

The insulation using reflective materials is composed of two different layers of aluminum foils sandwiched with the inner layer of foam, plastic bubble or fiberglass. This prevents the energy from penetrating the inside of the structure.

Otherwise, it reflects around 97% of radiant energy away from the roof surface. This works best in summer with the use of aluminum reflecting the heat away from the protected structure.

Bulk materials

The composition is in blankets or batts insulation materials made of foam. The foam, in turn, is made of fiberglass, mineral wool, cotton or sheep’s wool. This works against the rising warm air, trapping heat from penetrating inside or outside.

The rigid foam does not compress or absorb moisture. It also has higher insulation and a longer life. The sprayed polyurethane foam is good for insulating metal walls and roofs.  It seals the air and moisture leaks and controls condensation.

Wood-frame

For most homes in any conditions, it is ideal to use the combined capabilities of the reflective and bulk insulation. Also in attics that are unheated, the bulk insulation materials can be used on the floor while the reflective material is effective in being used under the roof to reflect the inside heat.

For heated attics, you can use the same insulation applied over the roof surface. It can give relief to the conditions generated by radiant heat. Most of home roofs have enough space between the rafters to allow two inches of airspace for air circulation under the roof. 

This space allows the moisture and vapor to penetrate directly into the house. The reflective barrier can also work and act to suppress moisture and vapor as well. The condensation of moisture creates problems like molds and mildew as well as rot and dripping.

The ventilation provided by the space under the roof surface helps the moisture to escape and stop ice build up (in winter) and the damage it can cause. Roof insulation is a top concern for everyone concerned. 

Soundproofing Walls - Some Treatments

Soundproofing is to reduce the sound pressure coming from a specified sound source to the receptors. There are many ways to reduce sound: increasing the distance between source and receiver, noise barriers, damping structures and others. Soundproofing walls might make you go beyond the Building Code.

Ideally, in soundproofing the walls it can be good to apply the soundproofing materials on the noise-producing side of the wall. If your neighbor is the culprit for the noise, you need to treat your side.

Acoustic treatments

Two soundproofing problems have to be considered when you are planning to design acoustic treatments. These are how to improve the sound within a room and how to reduce sound leakage to and from adjacent rooms or outdoors.

Some solutions include acoustic quieting, noise mitigation, and noise control can be used in limiting unwanted noise.

Other problems like unwanted indirect sound waves (reflections that cause echoes and resonances that cause reverberations) can be reduced by soundproofing. The main action is to suppress the transmission of unwanted direct sound waves from the source to the involuntary listener by way of using distance or some intervening objects in the path of the sound.    

DIY wall soundproofing

There are some techniques that can be a DIY project regarding soundproofing your new or existing walls. The first one is to add mass behind these walls where the noise is coming from. If the neighbors are the one making the noise, you need to treat your side of the wall, not theirs.

In dampening the noise, you can use MLV or mass-loaded vinyl. This is used in big industrial complexes to reduce earsplitting noise. MLV is a flexible material that also comes in rolls so you can trim them easily. It is sandwiched between drywall layers to reduce transmission of noise and deaden the sounds.

Leaky walls /irritating sound waves

Like water, sound waves also leaks through small cracks and openings. You can plug these holes and gaps around switches, door casings, and receptacle boxes with acoustic caulk. The sound coming from these little holes can be irritating especially those that produce high pitches.

The sounds can be absorbed with acoustic panels that do two things: it clarifies the sound in a room and reduce transmission of sounds through most wall types. You can also enhance the wall soundproofing by sealing door frames and door perimeter seal and door sweeps.

One other method of reducing transmission of sounds through most wall types is by using fabric-wrapped acoustic panels. They are fully customizable and can blend with your home décor. 

STC

Sound transmission class ratings (of STC) measures how much a particular soundproofing construction material can reduce sound. Higher STC ratings indicate materials that are better at noise reductions.

For instance, a wall with an STC rating of 30 will allow most sentences to be heard clearly inside the room. A wall with an STC rating of 50 will block most of the loud speech and can transfer only faint sounds of loud musical instruments. If you are doing the DIY project of soundproofing walls, knowing STC can guide you through.

Sound Proof Insulation - Experimental Samples

There are now several ways to soundproof a wall and insulate it. Improvements in the soundproofing industry have resulted in products that are now more effective and cost less than the old traditional ways in soundproofing methods. Soundproof insulation had come a long way.

Some principles

However, one must understand some of the main principles of sound movements and how to minimize or totally eliminate it. Some of these include getting the information that the effect of insulation is minimal in both low and high frequencies.

In a conventional wall, the effects of insulation are very similar to having insulation. The largest gains are just above the primary low-frequency resonance, low frequency gains are non-existent and high frequency gains are very minimal.

More experiments

The effects of adding layers to a normal single wood stud wall results in having the gains in the midrange higher at middle and high frequencies. Low frequencies, however, the performance is not as good as with the lighter installation.

Here the STC rises by a mere 2 points (from 32 to 34). Insulation has much more value in decoupled walls.

In walls having mechanical connections between the two sides, the insulation has proven the benefits of insulation at middle and high frequencies. In low frequencies, however, the capacity of the insulating materials to absorb sound falls dramatically. The benefit of insulation at low frequencies is to lower resonance points.

Still, lowering the resonance is valuable and in walls with damping or decoupling, the insulation has considerable value at middle and high frequencies which should be considered mandatory for any sound isolation application.

As a sample on how insulation becomes less effective as frequency falls, place a fiberglass in front of the mid and high frequency speakers in your room and listen to what happens. The sound would probably be muffled and muted.

Now put the same fiberglass in front of the subwoofer cones. Nothing happens. This is the same with the walls.

STC

Dealing with sound, one needs to be familiar about STC ratings, or the sound transmission class ratings. STC ratings measure how much a particular sound proofing construction material reduces sound.  (R-values in thermal insulation are the values of retained heat in the materials used.)

Higher STC rating indicates that the materials used are better at noise reduction. A wall with an STC rating of 30 will allow most sentences to be heard clearly in a conversation. A wall having an STC rating of 50 will block most of the loud speech and only transfer faint sounds of loud musical instruments. 

Tips

Most often, people thought using denser insulation materials cures every sound problem. Generally, it is preferable to use standard building type insulations (like fiberglass).

It is not desirable to use expensive and very dense insulations. In addition to the expense, they also tend to make low frequency performance worse by raising the resonance frequencies.

Some notes

The use of sound proof insulation is critical and valuable, but insulation alone doesn’t win, especially in conventional walls where direct structural connections exist between the sides.

Floor Insulation - A Quick Run-Through

Moving into a new house with a floor that is not insulated can be a problem if the house has solid floors. The difficulty might be in the materials used because floor insulation for each type differs in work and costs.

Generally, ground floors are done as either solid, usually concrete slabs, or suspended. (These are timber floorboards on joists.) When these are not insulated, the U-value between is 0.45/m2k and 0.70W/m2k. Our target value is between 0.20W/m2K and 0.25W/m2K (depending on floor geometry).

It can be more trouble (and costs more) insulating a solid floor than insulating a timber floor. The payback for the former is 8 to 10 years or more, but the payback for timber floors is between 3 and 5 years. (This is recouping your investment-expense on the insulating work.)

Initial precaution

Sloppy insulation work can result in thermal bridging. Thermal bridging happens where the solid building elements continue from the inside to the outside of the structure, conducting the cold out or heat in. this results in severely compromising the value of work done and leads to cold spots and condensations.

During work, you need to consider the airtightness layer beneath the floor next to walls and round the edges. The airtightness prevents unwanted infiltration of draughts.

Wooden floor insulation

It will be easier to stuff insulation between the joists if there is access from below. Simply press the insulation against the floorboards without having to over-compress them.

You can add more insulation than the depth of the joists would permit in two stages. One is stuffing the spaces between the joists and adding battens to the underneath of the joists. You can then fasten the second layer of retaining boards or netting to them.

The holes in the floorboards (where pipes and wires go through) need to be plugged with mastic and tapes to prevent draughts. If there is a possibility that the room could flood, a damp proof layer should not be put beneath the insulation. (Draught-resistant fabrics should be used).

Concrete floor insulation

Floor Insulation can be added over the existing concrete slab or under a new one. If the insulation is placed above the slab, the room will warm up more quickly when the heating is one. It also cools down easily. (This applies to all internal insulation.)

It affects the floor level which can impact on door openings, stairs and other house fixtures. This is the reason why phenolic foam is the most common solution in cases like this because it can still achieve greater insulation with less depth.

Insulation below the slab is generally better especially in warm south-facing rooms since the concrete helps absorb the heat and can limit the overheating. The damp proof membrane is placed on a layer of sand to prevent being punctured by sharp stones.

Since it also serves as the airtightness membrane, it laps up the sides of the walls to link to the plaster or plasterboard. Floor insulation is usually a more efficient heating than the conventional systems.