How does home insulation work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Insulating your home helps regulate the temperature: it prevents heat loss (during the winter) and heat gain (during the summer). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most of the heat loss in your home is from conduction, the flow of heat through solid materials. Think about the last time you touched the inside part of a window during winter: it was cold even though you were heating the air around it. That\u2019s an example of conduction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conduction makes the heat flow from the inside part of the window to the outside extremely fast, cooling the window and the area around it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Insulation limits this flow of heat. It traps the heat in the walls, floors, attic, or wherever you have insulation installed, slowing the rate at which it goes outside\u2014and allowing you to save energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Insulation in your roof or attic also uses convection (the flow of heat through the movement of air) by stopping or limiting the chimney effect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The chimney effect is a phenomenon where, in cold weather, hot air rises and escapes out of your under-insulated or unsealed roof. As hot air leaks from the top, it leads to lower pressure within the home compared to outside. The pressure change means cold air is sucked in from the ground floor. So you’re constantly having to heat new air and losing the air you already heated. By insulating your roof and attic you can decrease or even eliminate this source of heat loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Types of insulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The most common type of insulation is the type which protects against conduction. It basically works by trapping heat inside it so it can’t escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the most common types of insulation, each of which performs a different role:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roll insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Glass fibers in wide, puffy sheets, with or without a paper or aluminum face<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Best for long, unobstructed spaces like over attic joists<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Stops heat loss into your attic and walls via conduction<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Batt insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Glass fibers in puffy strips, with or without a paper or aluminum face<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Attics, walls, and between crawl space joists<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Stops heat loss into your attic and walls via conduction<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Blown-in insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Loose cellulose or fiberglass that\u2019s blown into attics<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Attics and some walls where there\u2019s no existing insulation<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Loose insulation fills in around odd shapes and cavities to help with conduction and convection<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Spray foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Expanding foam enlarges as it cures; other types cure in the shape they\u2019re sprayed<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Where pipe or wires enter a house and around windows where batting can\u2019t reach<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Plugs hard-to-fill gaps, preventing conduction and convection heat loss<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Rigid foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Sheets of extruded or expanded polystyrene<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Tucked between joists above the basement or crawlspace<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Foam boards insulate while providing a partial vapor barrier<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Specialty insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Pipe insulation, duct insulation and water heater jackets<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Around objects that store or distribute hot water and indoor air<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Keeps water hot; insulates ducts that pass through cold attics<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to tell if you have insulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It’s possible you don’t even know if you have insulation. The only way to know for sure\u2014and to figure out what kind of insulation you have\u2014is to look for it. Use the table below (courtesy of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory<\/a>) to know what you’re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Batt insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Glass fibers in puffy strips, with or without a paper or aluminum face<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Attics, walls, and between crawl space joists<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Stops heat loss into your attic and walls via conduction<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Blown-in insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Loose cellulose or fiberglass that\u2019s blown into attics<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Attics and some walls where there\u2019s no existing insulation<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Loose insulation fills in around odd shapes and cavities to help with conduction and convection<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Spray foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Expanding foam enlarges as it cures; other types cure in the shape they\u2019re sprayed<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Where pipe or wires enter a house and around windows where batting can\u2019t reach<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Plugs hard-to-fill gaps, preventing conduction and convection heat loss<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Rigid foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Sheets of extruded or expanded polystyrene<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Tucked between joists above the basement or crawlspace<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Foam boards insulate while providing a partial vapor barrier<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Specialty insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Pipe insulation, duct insulation and water heater jackets<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Around objects that store or distribute hot water and indoor air<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Keeps water hot; insulates ducts that pass through cold attics<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to tell if you have insulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It’s possible you don’t even know if you have insulation. The only way to know for sure\u2014and to figure out what kind of insulation you have\u2014is to look for it. Use the table below (courtesy of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory<\/a>) to know what you’re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blown-in insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Loose cellulose or fiberglass that\u2019s blown into attics<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Attics and some walls where there\u2019s no existing insulation<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Loose insulation fills in around odd shapes and cavities to help with conduction and convection<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Spray foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Expanding foam enlarges as it cures; other types cure in the shape they\u2019re sprayed<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Where pipe or wires enter a house and around windows where batting can\u2019t reach<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Plugs hard-to-fill gaps, preventing conduction and convection heat loss<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Rigid foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Sheets of extruded or expanded polystyrene<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Tucked between joists above the basement or crawlspace<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Foam boards insulate while providing a partial vapor barrier<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Specialty insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Pipe insulation, duct insulation and water heater jackets<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Around objects that store or distribute hot water and indoor air<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Keeps water hot; insulates ducts that pass through cold attics<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to tell if you have insulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It’s possible you don’t even know if you have insulation. The only way to know for sure\u2014and to figure out what kind of insulation you have\u2014is to look for it. Use the table below (courtesy of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory<\/a>) to know what you’re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spray foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Expanding foam enlarges as it cures; other types cure in the shape they\u2019re sprayed<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Where pipe or wires enter a house and around windows where batting can\u2019t reach<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Plugs hard-to-fill gaps, preventing conduction and convection heat loss<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Rigid foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Sheets of extruded or expanded polystyrene<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Tucked between joists above the basement or crawlspace<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Foam boards insulate while providing a partial vapor barrier<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Specialty insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Pipe insulation, duct insulation and water heater jackets<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Around objects that store or distribute hot water and indoor air<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Keeps water hot; insulates ducts that pass through cold attics<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to tell if you have insulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It’s possible you don’t even know if you have insulation. The only way to know for sure\u2014and to figure out what kind of insulation you have\u2014is to look for it. Use the table below (courtesy of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory<\/a>) to know what you’re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rigid foam insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Sheets of extruded or expanded polystyrene<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Tucked between joists above the basement or crawlspace<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Foam boards insulate while providing a partial vapor barrier<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Specialty insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Pipe insulation, duct insulation and water heater jackets<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Around objects that store or distribute hot water and indoor air<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Keeps water hot; insulates ducts that pass through cold attics<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to tell if you have insulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It’s possible you don’t even know if you have insulation. The only way to know for sure\u2014and to figure out what kind of insulation you have\u2014is to look for it. Use the table below (courtesy of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory<\/a>) to know what you’re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Specialty insulation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Insulation material:<\/strong> Pipe insulation, duct insulation and water heater jackets<\/li>
- Location:<\/strong> Around objects that store or distribute hot water and indoor air<\/li>
- Use: <\/strong>Keeps water hot; insulates ducts that pass through cold attics<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to tell if you have insulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It’s possible you don’t even know if you have insulation. The only way to know for sure\u2014and to figure out what kind of insulation you have\u2014is to look for it. Use the table below (courtesy of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory<\/a>) to know what you’re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to tell if you have insulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It’s possible you don’t even know if you have insulation. The only way to know for sure\u2014and to figure out what kind of insulation you have\u2014is to look for it. Use the table below (courtesy of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory<\/a>) to know what you’re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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