Choosing The Right Insulation For Your Home

Why splurge on an expensive central heating or air system when you just might need to upgrade your home's insulation? Rather than turning up the electricity, picking a good material can help trap cool or warm air as well as provide a multitude of other benefits such as blocking mold-causing moisture, keeping pests out, and softening unwanted sounds from your noisy neighbors. Here is a comparison of three major types of residential insulation materials and how they stack up against one another.

Spray Foam
If you want the fullest coverage, spray foam is the insulation for you. A mixture of chemicals is sprayed as liquid foam over the surface of an area. Once it begins to dry it expands and reaches into the tiniest of cracks and holes, filling every inch completely. In its completed state, the material is non-toxic. During application; however, the fumes can be dangerous. In terms of value, while it is more costly to apply, as professionals must do it, spray foam is the biggest energy saver. It has been estimated to cut down heating and cooling bills by as much as 50%. It is also a great way to increase a home's value or sales appeal. Other benefits to this material are that it can form a small sound barrier and can prevent moisture from entering the home. If you have the money to spend, spray foam is the way to go.

Cellulose
This is one of the first and oldest types of insulation to be used in homes. Cellulose is mostly made of recycled material, and that has helped it gain popularity again in recent years. Unlike spray foam or fiberglass, cellulose is extremely eco-friendly. In fact, in its earliest carnations, newspaper, corncobs, and other everyday items were mulched and used. There are many benefits to this material over others available, including pest controlling properties, reduction in energy bills, soundproofing, and overall cost of installation. While there are both wet and dry versions, the wet works quite similarly to spray foam, expanding to fill out a greater area of space. There is also a version that has reduced dust, which can be helpful for people who suffer from allergies (once it has been installed, no additional dust is created).

Fiberglass
Think pink! For many years, fiberglass dominated the insulation market in the United States. Long pink bats were laid along walls, and subsequently often torn down by critters or attempts at home carpentry. This material is at a significant disadvantage against its advanced counterparts. While inexpensive, it provides little climate protection and does not block moisture or sound, and does not greatly reduce energy bills. In order to reap more benefits from fiberglass, it is sometimes used in conjunction with cellulose for a better seal. Touching the material with bare hands can be problematic as well. It is known to cause itchiness or redness and should be handled with caution. Novices can easily install fiberglass, therefore maintenance and repair work is significantly cheaper.