Looking for the right kind of insulation for your new home?
Compare insulation types for your new home to ensure that you are getting the best insulation that will save you money and make your home comfortable. When it comes to the energy efficiency of your new home, the most important decision you’ll have to make is what kind of insulation to use. There are many insulation options available with spray foam offering the highest r value and fiberglass or batt insulation being one of the cheapest and most commonly insulators. However, just because it’s affordable and common doesn’t make it the right option for your home. In fact, there are many downsides to installing fiberglass insulation in your new home. There are many advantages to using spray foam insulation and we’ll help you explore the disadvantages of fiberglass insulation and the advantages to insulating with spray foam.
#1. It’s not easy to get an adequate level of coverage with fiberglass.
Fiberglass insulation comes in batts that are precut and are available in widths of 16 or 24 inches. Residential attics aren’t typically flat or perfectly square; in most attics, there are many nooks and crannies to work around. Standard fiberglass batts simply aren’t made to accommodate these abnormalities, which could leave you with gaps in the insulation. Even a small gap could reduce the heat resistance, otherwise called R-value, in a ceiling or wall by 50 percent. Fiberglass batts can be cut into custom pieces, but this makes the installation much slower and more labor intensive.
#2. Fiberglass insulation is vulnerable to moisture.
If fiberglass insulation becomes wet because of a roof leak or a leaky pipe, it loses all of its R-value and has almost zero insulating value until it is able to dry out fully once again. Even warm, humid air that rises into your attic from the rest of your home can compromise fiberglass insulation.
#3. Air can pass through fiberglass more easily.
If you’ve ever seen fiberglass, then you already know that it looks as if it has been fluffed up. Because of how fluffy fiberglass is, as well as its low density, air can pass through it easily. If you cover up air leaks in your home with fiberglass, air will still be able to travel in and out of your home. Contrary to other, more air-tight kinds of insulation, like spray foam, with fiberglass, air leaks have to be sealed before insulation can be installed. Otherwise, they remain a problem even when insulation has been installed.
#4. Fiberglass is prone to mold.
Not only does moisture virtually eliminate the R-value in fiberglass; when moisture is present in fiberglass, it’s not uncommon to find mold. Since air can pass easily through fiberglass, it makes it easy for mold spores to infiltrate the insulation, where is it fueled by condensation, water vapor in the air or leaks. Mold can affect the indoor air quality of your home, and if people in your family have allergies or respiratory conditions, it can put them at risk.
SPRAY FOAM AND STANDARD INSULATION ARE NOT EQUAL!!
Spray foam insulation has the highest r value of all insulation. It may cost more upon installation, but ask any home owner who has spray foam insulation and they will they have recouped their initial investment through utility bill savings. There are two types of spray foam insulation, open cell spray foam and closed cell spray foam.
Insulation that will Lower your Monthly Utility Bills
Insulation that will Low your Monthly Utility Bills
- Open Cell – 3.5 per inch of aged R-value.
- Closed Cell – 6 to 7 per inch of aged R-value.
- Spray Foam does not lose R-value over its lifetime
Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation
- Spray foams cut monthly air conditioning/heating costs up to 50%
- Foams improve indoor air quality (reducing indoor pathogens)
- Spray foams make homes & businesses quieter
- Spray foam seals your home – prevents air loss or air drafts
- Spray foam kills mold on contact and prevents future mold growth
- Foam insulation is not a food source for mold, roaches, or termites
- Foam insulation does not incur damage by water or floods – FEMA classifies foam insulation as flood resistant materials
- Spray foam does not settle or pack down over time
- Foam insulation split as it ages
- Foam insulation is flame resistant
Fiberglass may be cheap and common, but it has its downsides, and it is not your only option. Spray foam insulation beats out fiberglass at every turn, and when you consider just how ineffective fiberglass can be, it makes the added investment in spray foam well worth it. Is spray foam insulation the right option for your home in Houston? Contact our spray foam insulation contractors today to find out!
