Foam Insulation

Insulating a home can drive down a family's energy costs. The costs of installing insulation have to be weighed against the potential costs savings to make sure that the net effect of installing more or new insulation is on the positive side over a reasonable time period. In some cases, insulation not only drives the costs of energy down, insulation can also dampen sound. Adding insulation can also increase the resale value of a home.

R-Value

An R-value is a measurement that shows a given material's resistance to heat flow, with a larger R-value indicating a better resistance to heat. In terms of insulation, the important issue is to compare the cost of a given type of insulation, including installation costs, and its R-value to other materials' costs and R-values. In some cases, installing a lower R-value insulation material with a corresponding lower cost will result in the same energy savings as a higher R-value insulation material. In this case, it would be wise to choose the less expensive material to install.

Types of Insulation

Consumers have choices in insulation. Blankets and batts are made from fiberglass or rock and slag wool, can be cut to fit into a given area, and are sold in different thicknesses. Loose fill is blown into the areas that need insulation, using special equipment. Loose fill might be made of fiberglass, cellulose, or rock and slag wool. Rigid boards use plastic foams or other materials and are strong, yet light in weight. Rigid boards can be used in many places in a home, including under roof sheathing. Rigid boards are made from several materials including polyurethane, polystyrene, or fiberglass and rock wool. Foam insulation requires equipment to measure, mix, and spray polyurethane foam into the appropriate area.

Why Use Foam Insulation?

Foam insulation has many advantages over other insulation materials. Foam insulation is blown into a designated area. Because the foam insulation is blown in, it fills both large and small places while either sealing off or slowing down airflow. Foam insulation usually expands while curing, enabling the foam to fill in uneven surfaces, leaving fewer, if any, air holes. Foam insulation can be used in hard-to-reach areas and in many cases without tearing down walls. Foam insulation can also be purchased in small cans for smaller jobs.