Types of Insulation for Every Room

A home with the appropriate kind of insulation in adequate levels will remain comfortable for longer periods. Should you need to add to its existing levels, consider the different types and their best uses around the house.

Attics

• Fiberglass batts. Fiberglass batts are affordable, easy to install and durable products to use in new homes and as supplemental materials for existing homes. They lay flat against the attic floor between the floor joists. If they’re used on top of existing batts, they should lie at 90 degree angles to the original layer.
• Rock wool or denim batts. These types are less commonly used but just as effective as fiberglass. Rock wool is made by heating rocks in a 3,000 degree F furnace. Denim insulation is pulverized and shredded jeans. Both kinds cost more than fiberglass products.
• Loose insulation. Blown-in cellulose or fiberglass is just as effective as batts. Cellulose products are made from recycled newspapers treated with borates to resist fire, moisture and insects.
• Foam products. People who remodel their attics to create livable space often turn to sprayed foam to insulate the roof deck. Closed cell foams have approximately twice the insulating values compared to nearly all other types of insulation, making them the best choice for small or narrow cavities.

Walls

Cellulose or sprayed foam products are often used as insulating materials in existing walls since they can be injected without damaging the drywall. If you’re completely remodeling a room, you fiberglass batts between the exposed studs will be easier and just as effective.

Basements

• Rigid foam. Moisture and humidity are common concerns in basements. Since rigid foam resists moisture and mold, it’s an ideal product for insulating the walls.
• Batts. Instead of insulating the basement walls, you can hang fiberglass batts between the ceiling studs to will prevent cold air from creeping up into the livable areas of the home.

The right insulation makes a big difference in your heating bills and overall comfort. To learn more, contact C.R. Wolfe Heating & Air Conditioning, providing trusted HVAC services for Middletown homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 845-367-4482.