Fiberglass insulation is quickly becoming obsolete because of the fact that it just does not work, or work as well as other types of insulation. It is true that fiberglass insulation has been the most common and affordable type of insulation for homes, office buildings and commercial facilities, but there is a new day dawning. There are now much more effective types of insulation on the market.
The newer types of insulation receiving the most attention in recent years have been spray foam, blown in loose-fill and radiant barriers. Both of these insulation work differently from one another and fiberglass. The insulative abilities of spray foam and radiant barriers are not rated on the same R-value scale due to the manner in which they work.
Unlike fiberglass batting, which only slows the advance of heat passing through the glass fibers, spray foam insulation is a much more effective form of insulation. Because of the density of spray foam, the R-value, or resistance for heat transference, is much higher than any fiberglass insulation. Spray foam is one of the best materials for insulating a new home as it is being built.
If the home construction has already been completed, then spray foam will probably not be an economical method of retroactively insulating a home. In this instance, blown in insulation should be more inexpensive, but will still be labor intensive. There is a relatively affordable alternative.
Retrofitting a pre-existing building with a radiant barrier is usually more inexpensive than most other alternatives. There are different methods for installing a radiant barrier. The most common way is, in essence, to lay the barrier on top of ceiling joists in the attic. Radiant barriers can also be useful by installing under the home in a crawl space. With the reflective surfaces of the radiant barrier, heat from the exterior, which penetrates the roof, is reflected back away from the living quarters.
Radiant barriers have been used in several different applications. The technology is the same means which NASA uses for the astronauts in the space program by allowing the astronauts to retain warmth in the cold of space. While this radiant barrier technology has been in existence for over one hundred years, it was only recently adapted for the residential construction industry in the past couple of decades.
Mold and moisture always needs to be considered when installing a radiant barrier. Some applications may require the use of a perforated barrier for better condensation control. The professional installer in the local region should be able to determine the best way to install the barrier.
For further detail and information on insulation and air conditioning please visit www.utilityimprovements.com.
Article independently authored by Daniel P. Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Ultility Improvements.
No comments:
Post a Comment