The What, How & Why Of Insulation (Part 3)
Welcome to PART 3 of our “Understanding Insulation” Series! I hope you have learned the basics of insulation from the previous blog. In this insulation blog and more to come, we will elaborate further on how to read and determine sufficient or insufficient amount of insulation in your home or office space using R-Values. We will also talk about the benefits each of the commonly used insulating materials offer. Insulation Contractors Near Me Bloomington MN
How Much Insulation Do You Really Need?
So, in the last blog we talked about R Values and how they are measured. Here we will discuss how much insulation should be installed in the different areas of your building. Exterior walls are very important ares in the context of insulation. They should have a R-value of at least 19 whereas sloped and cathedral ceilings should have R-Values ranging from 30 to 38. Who can forget unheated attics,; after all, insulating these rooms are the most common requests insulation companies get. Attic insulation should be a R-38 and the joist cavity under your floor should range from R-11 to R-30. It is essential that the entire joist cavity is thoroughly insulated because air gaps have a lot of potential to reduce the R-value in that room. The same is true when you’re insulating your basement – fill in the gaps, otherwise moisture will find its way through. For more information, don’t hesitate to contact Century Insulation, the best insulation company in Bloomington MN.
What Insulation Material Should You Choose?
The most widely used substance used to insulate Minnesota homes is fiberglass. Fiberglass insulation does not have the best R-value. But because it is so cheap, you can conveniently add layers of insulation to get the same level of insulation you would have gotten from expensive substances like cellulose insulation. When it comes to cellulose insulation, it might be more expensive than fiberglass but it offers the best R-value per layer of insulation. Also, it is the most environment-friendly between all types of insulation (up to 85% of it comes from recycled newspapers!), so this way your comfort does not come at the cost of environment. But if you want nothing but the most tightly-packed insulation (hence a higher R-value per layer), spray foam might be the way to go. Because of its nature and the way it is installed, spray foam insulation can easily get into all the cracks and crevices in your home, even the small and irritating ones. And once initial installation is done, the foam expands and dries quickly. This leads to excellent long-term efficacy but at the cost of a slightly higher one-time installation fee.
Takeaway:
We hope that after going through this series of blogs, you feel more comfortable when it is time to get insulation for your home or commercial building. And, as always, for any advice or insulation needs, feel free to contact your local insulation contractor in Bloomington MN, Century Insulation, today!
Insulation Contractors Near Me Bloomington MN | Century Insulation
Century Insulation can help you insulate your home or commercial property in Bloomington Minnesota. Our services include spray foam insulation, attic insulation, cellulose insulation, and fiberglass insulation. If you’re not sure which one is best for you, feel free to contact one of our insulation contractors to come and inspect your house and help you determine which solution works best for you!