Insulation FAQ

There are a number of different types of insulation, including:

• Fiberglass
• Cellulose
• Spray foam
• Rigid board / foam board
• Radiant barrier
• Rolls and batts

There are many areas in your home that should be insulated, beyond just your attic (though that's certainly one of the best places to install insulation!). For specifics about where to insulate in your home, talk to experienced insulation contractors. As a general rule of thumb, you'll want to install insulation:

• Attic
• Walls
• Basement
• Crawl spaces
• Floors (particularly above vented crawl spaces)
• Ceilings
• Around ductwork and piping, etc.

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An insulation contractor can help you determine how much insulation you need. But generally speaking, there are a few factors that affect how much you will need to insulate:

• Climate zone you live in (you can refer to this zone map to see what zone we are in!)
• Age of your home
• Type of HVAC system you have
• The area(s) of your home you need to insulate

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Insulation is essentially any material used to fill the spaces as well as little gaps and crevices in your home (behind walls, above ceilings, etc.) to resist heat flow by reflection, absorption (it depends on the material!). This increases your home's energy efficiency and helps reduce your monthly bills – heat doesn't as easily leak into and out of your home, keeping it much cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

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Insulating your home actually offers more benefits than just lowering your energy bills. Insulation:

• Keeps your home more comfortable year round
• Helps improve the efficiency of your air conditioner
• Muffles noises from outside (and between different levels and rooms inside your home)
• Can boost the resale value of your home
• Helps reduce or even eliminate air leakage
• Can decrease your carbon footprint

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R-value refers to how effective insulation is at stopping heat transfer. The higher the R-value, the better! R-value depends on a few things, including the material, thickness and density of the insulation. To achieve the highest possible R-value and to get the most out of your insulation, it's important you insulate correctly – improper insulation installation can completely debunk your home energy efficiency efforts!

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Limiting the transmission of sound from one area to another requires a material that encloses the source of the noise, forming a barrier between the source and the adjacent area. This is what insulation does! Fiberglass and cellulose are the best types of insulation for soundproofing purposes.

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Re-insulating your home provides all the benefits mentioned before – higher energy efficiency, lower monthly bills, more comfortable home, etc. You probably need to re-insulate your home if it was built in the 19070s or earlier. When considering whether to install more insulation, look out for:

• Higher than normal energy bills
• Drafty rooms
• Uneven temperatures from room to room
• Air conditioning running more than normal during the summer
• Ice dams in the winter

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For historic building insulation, sustainable, natural materials such as cellulose, wood, plant fiber or will (which is known as “reversible” insulation) are recommended for materials. Cellulose insulation is usually considered the best insulation for older homes, especially the walls.

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Talking to a professional insulation company is the best way to determine if you need gutter repair or replacement, but there are some things you can look out for on your own, including:

• Frequent clogs
• Mildew or rust buildup
• Flaking or peeling
• And more

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Do you need new gutters for your home? You have probably heard of both seamless and sectional gutters. But which one should you get? What is the difference between them?

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Do you have a small closet that just never seems to stay organized? This is frustrating—but the problem can be fixed with a good custom design and organization!

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