We’ve said it countless times – 90% of homes are not properly insulated. Whether your home is well insulated or you’re considering having insulation installed, we want to share some statistics related to R-Values, how environmentally friendly insulation products may be and more. When it comes to Austin insulation installation we want you to know that all products are NOT created equal! Hopefully you will be able to make the best decision using the information below.
First of all, the R-Value indicates thermal resistance, which means how efficient a material is when it comes to slowing or “resisting” the hot air that’s trying to pass through it. The higher the R-Value, the better. R-Values pertain to an inch of material whether it’s fiberglass batts, cotton batts, cellulose, polyurethane spray foam or other types of insulation. If a material has an R-Value of R-3.6 per inch, having four inches of the insulation material installed would equate to an R-Value of about R-14 (rounding off).
According to the Department of Energy, R-Values are generally as follows (all are per inch):
- Loose fiberglass, 2.2 – 2.9
- Fiberglass batts, 2.9 – 3.8
- Cotton batts, 3.0 – 3.7
- Loose cellulose, 3.1 – 3.8
- Stone wool batts, 3.3 – 4.2
- Polyurethane foam, 5.6 – 8.0
- Phenolic foam, 4.4 – 8.2
- Polyisocyanurate foam, 5.6 – 8.0
It’s clear to see that spray foam insulation provides a higher R-Value per inch, which is why so many people choose it for their homes today. That said, there are still situations in which another type of insulation may be more suitable.
Suppose you are insulating 2 x 6 walls; what would the difference in R-Values be between using fiberglass batts and polyurethane foam? Fiberglass batts would give you about an R-18 or R-22 depending on density, while polyurethane spray foam would deliver about R-34 to R-48. You can see this is a substantial difference.
What about the impact of insulation products on the environment? Cutting down on energy consumption is important for the environment, which is what insulation helps you do. You use less energy, your costs are lower, you’re comfortable. But is the insulation actually eco-friendly?
In many cases, yes. Cellulose insulation is comprised of about 85% recycled paper products, while fiberglass contains a minimum of 20 to 30% recycled glass content. Other types of insulation, including spray foam, also help to make your home more environmentally friendly.
A few other stats you may find surprising. If your floors aren’t insulated, it’s costing you about 10% of your total heating/cooling costs. The appropriate amount of insulation in the attic can slash your heating/cooling costs by as much as 40%! Add wall insulation where there was none before, and you can lower the heat loss (or heat gain, depending on the season) by more than 65%. Wow.
Is your head spinning yet with all these numbers and statistics? At HabiShield we know it can be confusing. Our Austin insulation experts are ready to help you make your home its most energy efficient, comfortable, and eco-friendly. Give us a call today!