Upgrading your insulation is the smartest way to lessen money spent on regulating the temperature in your home.
You can DIY most of it. Keep reading to know more about various means of insulating the house, R-value, costs, uses, advantages, and disadvantages.
Batts and Blankets
This is one of the widely recognized types of regulating temperature in a house. It is easy to carry and move because it is made in rolls.
Highly appropriate for DIY people but make sure the roll cover areas around power outlets, electric wires, and piping.
If you don’t use it properly, it becomes about 50% less effective.
Fiberglass
R-value of 3.0-4.0 per inch. Most suitable for floors, roofs, and walls. It costs about $1.19 per sq. ft.
Advantages: readily available. Breadth and width made to be fit in the middle of studs. Comes in 2 types – foil and paper with securing spines to ease set up.
Disadvantages: You have to wear protective gears because the fibers can make you itch. It takes time to manually cut the fiberglass. Insulation efficiency reduces because the material gets compressed easily. It contains a carcinogen, phenol formaldehyde.
Rockwool
R-value of 4.0-5.0 for each inch. Most suitable for floors, roofs, and walls. It costs about 80 cents for each sq. ft.
Advantages: does not itch and more resistant to fire. It can be installed quickly.
Disadvantages: cannot be easily obtained. If it gets wet, it stays moist which can promote mold growth. The material has a low amount of a carcinogen, crystal-like silica.
Levis (i.e. Cotton Batts)
R-value of 3.5-4.0 per inch (R-13 for a 2-by-4 divider). Most suitable for pipes and walls.
Advantages: No itching. The rolls can be handled with ease.
Disadvantages: Not easily accessible and more expensive than others.
Loose-Fill Insulation
It comprises of using specialized equipment to blow soft strands of fibers into walls and attics. It removes icy spots once it seals all corners.
Loose-Fill Fiberglass
R-value of 2.2– 2.7 per inch. Mostly suitable for ceilings. It costs 30 cents for every cubic foot.
Advantages: super light and suitable for use in the attics over half-inch drywall roofs with framing per 24 inches.
Disadvantages: The fiberglass is super soft to the point that free applications may result in a 50% loss of its efficiency at extremely chilly temperatures. This can be fixed by adding extra insulation with blankets or loose fill with more density.
Loose-Fill Cellulose
R-value of about 3.8 per inch. Best for use in difficult to reach places i.e. encased existing wall, the ceilings, incomplete floors etc. It costs 31 cents for every cubic foot.
Advantages: work optimally at any temperature, and even function better with chilly air.
Disadvantages: It can get too dense for use in the attics; roof should have no less than 1 framing per 16 inches or 0.625-inch drywall. After some time, the fibers can settle practically 20%, lessening how effective it works.
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
SIPs have better ability to save energy by about 12% to 14%, but on the other hand, they’re more expensive.
They often come in 4-by-8-ft pieces, albeit a few makers make large ones in 8-by-24-ft, utilized generally for newly constructed structures.
Polystyrene SIPs
This SIP has two variants: Expanded (EPS) type has low R-value and is cheaper.
Expelled (XPS) type is more robust, it eliminates humidity and normally comes in either pink or blue color. R-value of 3.8 (EPS) to 5 (XPS) per inch.
Best for use in roofs, new dividers, rooftops, floors. It costs about $6 to $15.
Advantages: Light, simple to introduce.
Disadvantages: Must be sliced to fit snuggly around holes and pipes. Bugs and pests can burrow into them. Additionally, they’re sealed shut, a well-manufactured SIP structure may require outside air ventilation for wellbeing and construction standards.
Polyisocyanurate SIPs
R-value of 5.6-7.7 per inch. Most suitable for roofs, new dividers, rooftops, floors. It costs about $22.
Advantages: It is stress-free to use and damp proof since it comes with a foil face.
Disadvantages: It is costly and the foil type shouldn’t be utilized when external moisture barrier has already been installed.
Spray Foam
This is more expensive than batts. This liquid is sprayed into a gap to fill it. Any excess is removed to even out the surface.
Polyurethane Spray foam comes in 2 versions: Open-Cell and Closed-Cell. R-value does range from 3.5 to 6.5 per inch.
Most suitable for ceilings, floors, and walls. It cost about $0.44 to $1.50. Click here to read more.
Advantages: Stops air movement. It eliminates the need for weatherizing jobs like caulking.
Disadvantages: It is permeable so in most situations, a water-proof structure is needed. Requires hiring specialists to install it.
It is left to you as a homeowner to choose the insulation method that you prefer the most.
The batt type is the most simple to apply, while spray foam will need specialized tools.
So, consider this when deciding on when to DIY or hire professionals to get the job done.