How important are these factors when purchasing insulation?
How important are these factors when purchasing insulation?
Remember that home insulation's effectiveness is dependent on how well it is installed, and whether it is suitable for your climate and location. These are main factors to consider:
Which part of your home are you insuring?
Different insulation types are appropriate for different areas of your home. You can use blanket rolls or batts to insulate new walls. If you are trying to insulate an old wall, loose-fill insulation is a better choice.
What is your budget?
The cost difference between different insulation types can add up to hundreds of dollars if you are looking to insulate large areas of your home. It is important to keep in mind the cost of insulation, but remember that insulation can pay for itself over time. Other factors to consider include the durability of the insulation material, ease-of-installation, recycled content, and impact on air quality. Flammability is another important aspect. Certain types catch fire faster than others.
Different types of insulation materials
You can choose from a variety of insulation materials depending on your type and the factors mentioned above.
Foam Insulation:
Foam insulation is typically made from plastics like polystyrene or polyisocyanurate. Cementitious foam insulation is a less popular type. Foam insulations can be found in rigid foamboards or loose-fill. Spray foam insulation is also available.
Extrusion or expansion are possible with polystyrene foam insulation. Pre-expanded beads of polystyrene are used to make expanded polystyrene. It is tough, rigid, and closed-cell. It comes in loose-fill or as boards. The rigid boards are not available for extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam. It is stronger and denser than EPS.
Fiberglass Insulation:
Fiberglass is one the most widely used types of insulation material. Fiberglass is made from fine glass fibers which are spun or blown to make boards, rolls and loose-fill insulation. The majority of manufacturers use between 40% and 60% recycled glass.
Fiberglass can cause irritation to the skin and lungs, despite its popularity. Experts recommend that you wear protective clothing, such as gloves, masks and protective eyewear.
Cellulose Insulation:
Cellulose insulation is made up of up to 85% recycled papers. It is usually made from loose-fill and first shred to small pieces. It is designed to fit tightly in building cavities and inhibit airflow. Manufacturers also add mineral borate, sometimes with ammonium sulfurate, to make it fire- and insect-resistant. It does not require any moisture barrier, and can be used in both new and old homes.
Mineral wool Insulation:
Two types of mineral wool insulation are available: slag wool insulation and rock wool insulation. Both are artificial but the raw material used in each type is different. Rock wool, for example, is made of natural minerals like diabase or basalt. Slag wool, on the other hand, is made from blast furnace slag which is a byproduct of molten steel. Mineral wool insulation is fire-resistant and can be purchased in loose-fill, rolls and batt forms.
No matter which type of insulation you want, what is your budget or requirements, you can get all types of insulations at GIS Insulations. We are one stop insulation solution provider to domestic as well as industrial clients. We have the best range of insulations available at market-competitive prices along with the skills of our well-qualified engineers.
