Batt insulation

Batt insulation has been used by home builders for a very long time. One of the most convenient choices for your home, garage or basement is insulation. Installation will give the best balance between cost and performance. Industry standard sizes for insulation batts are pre-cut into rolls. As a home builder, you can choose from many products. Mineral wool and fiberglass are used for batt insulation. They come in many different sizes. You can decide which product is the one with the best performance level and the best R-Value within the budget.

Batt insulation vs spray foam insulation

The most popular type of home insulation in North America is fiberglass batt insulation. It is considerably cheaper than spray foam insulation, though this does not mean that it is inferior. Spray foam insulation is gaining popularity because of it’s many attributes, and is becoming well-known in the insulation community. The two products have similarities when it comes to how they perform when everything is done right, but it’s more a matter of whether or not you have the right installation. If you are choosing between fiberglass batt insulation or spray foam insulation, comparing the two can help you make your decision.

When compared with other insulation products, spray foam insulation offers the highest R-Value per installed inch. The ultimate in thermal protection can be achieved with spray foam, because it will completely seal and insulate the building envelope. There are two types of spray foam: closed-cell and open-cell.  Closed-cell is usually around R6 per inch, while open-cell is around R2.5 to R3.6 per inch.

When fiberglass batts and loose fill fiberglass are professionally installed, they provide satisfactory R-Values. If loose fill fiberglass is not professionally installed, there could be a loss of thermal protection over the lifetime of the fiberglass. Settlement of the product is the reason. This can affect energy efficiency over the long term and require topping up. These types of issues can be mitigated with the assistance of a professional. Ensuring that precautions such as air seal are performed is helped by a professional. Up to R- 4.3 per inch can be provided by fiberglass batts and loose fill.

Fiberglass

One of the most common insulation materials is fiberglass, which is made of extremely fine glass fibers. It can be used in many different forms of insulation, including blanket, loose-fill, rigid boards, blown-in and duct insulation.

• Most common batts used for insulating
• Sound absorption properties
• 60% and upwards recycled glass
• Comes in sheets or roll
• Good insulation value
• Very absorbent so can degrade when wet
• Fire resistant

Cellulose insulation

85% recycled paper, 25% treated with non-toxic borate compounds that prevent mold growth or insects and fire, and is high in thermal efficiency are some of the qualities that make cellulose insulation the greenest of the green. Cellulose insulation is often blown in to create a blanket of insulation in attics.

• Made from stone (basalt rock) and recycled steel slag
• Higher R-values than fiberglass insulation
• Moisture resistant
• Completely resistant to rot, mildew, mold, and bacterial growth
• Fire resistant
• Rodent-resistant
• Does not itch
• All-friction fit
• Easy to cut precisely with a serrated blade
• Denser than traditional fiberglass insulation