Installing a high-quality thermal insulation material in your home is crucial. This will not only allow you to save on your utility bills, but even increase your property’s market value. Also, don’t forget by getting your home well-insulated, you are doing something good for the environment as well.
Furthermore, if you are not taking the insulation part seriously, keep in mind that the government standards for insulation are becoming stricter day after day. For instance, since 2020, homeowners must get their flat as well as sloping roofs insulated. So, ensure you take the matter seriously. However, if you are already looking forward to getting your home insulated here is something you must know about insulation materials.
There are different options available when it comes to thermal insulation. Companies like ISOVER have been around for years and are providing the highest quality insulation material. You can contact them and get a quote right away. They are the insulation material division of the French concern – Saint-Gobain, the largest manufacturer of acoustic, thermal, and fireproof insulation.
For any homeowner, it will be in their best interest to work with an experienced company and select the best insulation material. If you don’t know much about thermal insulation materials, here are a few options to consider:
Mineral Wool
The term mineral wool covers 2 different types of materials. It can refer to either glass wool or rock wool. Glass wool is fibreglass made from recycled glass, and rock wool is made from basalt. Mineral wool does not have any additives that make it fire-resistant. Hence, it is not a very good choice for properties located in areas that experience extreme heat. The R-value of mineral wool is between R-2.8 to R-3.5.
Fibreglass
This is one of the most popular insulation materials. It is highly preferred because of its low cost and high R-Value performance. It is made by efficiently weaving fine strands of glass and thus it can minimise heat transfer. All in all, it is a very good non-flammable material with R-values between R-2.9 to R-3.8 per inch.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene is an excellent insulation material if you are looking for sound and temperature thermal insulation materials. There are two varieties of polystyrene – expanded (EPS) and extruded (XEPS). This type of insulation material has a very smooth surface. It is ideal for use in homes as well as offices. The costlier variant, XEPS, has an R-value of R-5.5 while EPS has R-4.
Cellulose
Cellulose holds an R-value between R-3.1 and R-3.7. It is a good choice for multiple reasons like
- It is a very eco-friendly material as it is made using 75 to 85 percent recycled paper fibre. Other 15 perfectly incorporate fire retardant material like boric acid or ammonium sulfate.
- The material is extremely compact and hardly has any oxygen within it. This means it can resist fire very well and decrease the amount of damage caused by fire.
Polyurethane Foam
Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) is created by mixing and reacting with materials. When sprayed on, the combination reacts very quickly. It expands to create foam that air seals and provides a good barrier against moisture. The R-value of SPF is approximately R-6.3 per inch.
So, you see there are multiple insulation materials each providing a benefit of its own. Depending on the location and construction materials used to build your house, select a material that suits you the best.
Comments are closed.