When most people think of comfort in the winter they think of a good furnace or a warm fireplace, whereas comfort in the summer means the cool breeze of forced air. While this is true, these appliances are only as effective as the insulation packed into the walls and nooks throughout the home. How a home is insulated is something that most people might not think of when they are thinking of building a new home. There are different types of insulation, but all insulation works in the same way: it traps tiny pockets of air that slow the movement of heat outside of the house in the wintertime and it slows the warm air from penetrating the home in the summer time. Insulation is rated by an R-Value, and the higher the R-Value, the better the home will be insulated. However, even if your home has the best insulation, it still needs to be installed correctly, a bad install can make a home far less efficient.
Fiberglass insulation is very common. It comes in sheets, and the sheets roll out between the studs. It’s very strong and light weight. Fiberglass insulation could be used throughout the entire home for insulation, and, in fact, most homes throughout the U.S are insulated by fiberglass. Another type of insulation that is gaining in popularity for a good reason is low density polyurethane spray foam. The reason this type of insulation has become so popular is due to its ability to seal the gap between the studs. It is sprayed in the gap between the studs, and as it dries it bonds with the studs. Also, the spray foam will flex with wood in the seasons. Spray foam also makes everything quieter, taking in the noise from the outside like a sponge. Spray foam insulation is a great idea in homes in in the city because most of the noise of the city will stay outside. Spray foam is considerably more expensive to install then fiberglass insulation, however the cost will be recouped by saving on energy bills.
Whatever type of insulation you choose throughout your home, understand that it will make a difference in the comfortableness of your home.
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