Page 32 - Green Builder Homeowner's Handbook 2016

The Homeowner’s Handbook SEVENTH EDITION

Insulation04

Proper installation has a major impact on performance.

Insulating your roof, walls and Glossary of Terms
foundation will also insulate your
wallet from the high energy cost of Know the Lingo
heating and cooling your home.
This one-time investment will save ¦¦ R-Value: A measure of how effectively a material resists heat
you money for decades.F YOU’VE EVER opened up the wall of a home built before flow. Thus, higher numbers are better. For a full list comparing
various types of insulation, visit www.coloradoenergy.org.
about 1950, you’ve probably been shocked to find little or no
insulation—or at best some crumpled newspapers. And even ¦¦ Batt: A length of insulation that is pre-cut to fit certain wall
the earliest serious attempts at insulation with fiberglass look cavity dimensions. Typically sold in a pre-cut roll.

I quaint now. Cavities were often only partially filled. Water ¦¦ Unfaced/Faced Insulation: Faced insulation (typically a
from outside often leaked in around windows and doors and fiberglass batt) includes a vapor retarder on the interior face
damaged the insulation. Of course, homes were so leaky prior to the that restricts movement of moist air into wall cavities. Unfaced
1960s that walls dried out quickly, so mold wasn’t a big problem. is simply a batt without a vapor retarder.
The rules of the game are very different today. Homes are built
tight—with no tolerance for sloppy insulating. ¦¦ Ridge Vent: An opening covered by a rainproof vent that
follows the peak of the roof, typically required by code. Some
Building scientists (a new breed of experts) now have a deep insulating methods, however, negate the need for a ridge vent.
understanding of how insulation works. They’ve learned that factors Clear it with your local code official first.
such as air infiltration, dampness and age can dramatically affect
performance. ¦¦ Blow-In: Method of introducing loose fiberglass, cellulose or
mineral wool to framing cavities or attic space, typically using
But they also recognize that insulation is part of an energy-saving a machine with an attached hose.
system, not a standalone solution. Good results can be achieved with
any insulating material, if it’s combined with the right housewraps, ¦¦ Blower Door: Equipment used to test the effectiveness of a
tapes and construction details. Here’s an overview of the latest home’s insulation and air sealing systems.
advances in insulation technology.
¦¦ Stud Cavity: The space between the vertical members of
FIBERGLASS a conventionally framed wood or lightweight steel home.
Installer Friendly Common stud spacings include 16” and 24” on center (of stud).

Fiberglass insulation in batt form is probably the most familiar insulating formaldehyde from their products. Some of the largest manufacturers of
product. Changes in recent years have affected the composition of fiberglass products now offer hybrid systems that include an air-sealing
chemical binders that hold the product together, along with the size of component. They have improved the performance and handling of
the glass fibers. Many brands have removed or reduced toxins such as blown-in fiberglass, and added to the percentage of recycled content in
all product lines (up to 40 percent).
Fiberglass Insulation
SPRAY FOAM
Virtues Caveats Filling Every Void
Insulating walls and ceilings with spray foam is relatively expensive,
¦¦ Renewable and ¦¦ Requires careful typically more than twice the cost of fiberglass batts, and most often
recyclable installation it’s a job best handled by pros. Why is foam green? Not because of
what’s in it. Even the most eco-friendly brands replace only a small
¦¦ Familiar to ¦¦ May need an percentage of their petroleum-based chemical mix with biological
contractors additional air products such as soy. But the energy performance of foam is hard to
infiltration barrier beat. Some brands offer insulating value of more than R-6 per inch,
¦¦ Field-proven at the same time sealing against air infiltration. This makes spray
for decades foam a dual-duty system, ideal for both new and retrofit construction.

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