Best Residential Insulation Practices

14 best practices for high performance homes from our experts.

Best residential insulation practices.

Get the input of architects trade partners suppliers and other decision makers while the project is still in the design phase. One way to assess what is the best insulation is by a measurement called an r value. Batts are about the worst you can do here. The higher the r value the better that material is for insulation.

Thermal bridging can best be minimized in the design phase by a designer who includes cost effective thermal bridge free details. For the best performance an insulation material needs to fill the whole space with no gaps voids compression or incompletely filled areas. What is the best insulation. R value is a measurement based on a material s ability to resist heat flow.

The best way to insulate your house or church school or office building greatly depends on what type of environment you live in if you look at historic houses and buildings you can learn a lot about how to design for your climate because early builders had to adapt to the local conditions to try to make buildings as comfortable as possible. R values can be higher for foam insulation and other advanced insulation systems. See that photo above. Do it yourself insulation of unfinished walls floors and ceilings.

Icynene foam insulation is blown in using water and contains no cfcs or formaldehyde once cured. Cavity fibrous or cellulose insulation can be installed at levels up to r 15 in a 2 inch x 4 inch wall and up to r 21 in a 2 inch x 6 inch wall. The best insulation types for your home new insulation options are less toxic and more energy efficient. Whenever possible site the home to take advantage of southern exposure on the rear with fewer penetrations on the north side.

Air krete cementitious foam is a nontoxic insulation that s sprayed into wall cavities. It consists of flexible fibers most commonly fiberglass. Reduce exterior wall leaks by taping the joints of exterior sheathing and caulking and sealing exterior walls. Blanket insulation the most common and widely available type of insulation comes in the form of batts or rolls.

Notice that you don t see insulation filling all the spaces between the ceiling joists. Insulation tips for hot humid climates. Here are some best practices for reducing thermal bridging. In this case it s because they weren t cut.

By susan lahey november december 2006.