The most important step to make sure that your home is well prepared to face the challenges of every season is to ensure that it is flawlessly insulated. According to a study, approximately 90 percent of the homes are not properly insulated.
That fact is when it comes to energy efficiency, having good insulation is far more critical than even your door and windows. So, improving or updating the insulation in your home is one of the areas where a small investment can make a world of difference in enhancing your home's comfort levels and reducing your electricity expenses.
Choosing the Best Type of Insulation for Your Home
When selecting the right insulation type for your home, you have several options to choose from, with each having its own set of pros and cons. Let’s take a look:
1. Blanket insulation
Blanket insulation is one of the most common types of insulation methods anywhere. This insulation is affordable and easily available. Blanket insulation is available in rolls and batts. You can easily cut it to fit any part of your home. Some of the common materials for blanket insulation are fiberglass, plastic fibers, natural fibers, and Rockwool, to name a few.
2. Loose-fill insulation
Loose-fill insulation contains small particles of foam, fiber, or some other materials including Rockwool, cellulose, or fiberglass. Due to the small size of its particles and its loose structure, this type of insulation can effortlessly fit into almost any intricate space or hard-to-reach area.
3. Foam boards
This insulation is made up of rigid panels. It can be used to insulate almost all parts of your home including the roof and foundation. Foam boards are particularly great for insulating interior sheathing in basement walls, exterior wall sheathing, and attic hatches, among others.
4. Spray foam
As per experts, spray foam insulation is the most effective insulation for any home. This type of insulation creates a foolproof, airtight seal in your walls, ceilings, and floors.
Manufactured from polyurethane, spray foam is available in two types - open-cell foam and closed-cell foam. Open-cell insulation is relatively less expensive. It has a sponge-like structure and is usually filled with air.
On the other hand, close-cell foam contains gas that allows it to expand to fill almost any space in your home. Applying spray foam insulation is a specialized and complex job and is best left to professionals.
Selecting the Most Suitable Insulation for Your Home
The type and amount of insulation necessary for your home depend on several factors. Two of the most prominent ones are:
- Your location i.e. where you live
- The age of your home
1. Location
Depending on where you live, make sure that you choose an insulation type with the right R-value. R-value is basically the ability of insulation to resist heat transfer. This means insulation with a higher R-value has better insulating power.
2. The Age of Your Home
If you have an older home, you need better insulation. There are several ways to install insulation in your home including spray foam, foam board, loose-fill, or batts.
If you have some insulation in your home but it is not that effective to keep out the heat or cold, make sure that you remove your older insulation completely before installing a new one. This is because the worn-out insulation can greatly reduce the effectiveness and performance of your new insulation.
Looking For the Best Insulation for Your Home? Get In Touch!
We are one of the most trusted roofing contractors Shreveport LA experts when it comes to insulating residential and commercial properties in the region. To learn more about our services and to choose the right insulation type for your home, get in touch with our experts today. Give Alpha Roofing a call at 318-373-5875 to schedule a FREE consultation and to get a FREE estimate in Bossier City, or Shreveport, LA.