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In
the old days floors and walls were lined with
just about anything to keep the moisture and
cold air out of home. Renovations have revealed
that even old newspapers were found packed into
wall and floor boards.
Today, insulating is a science all its own.
There are R-factors assigned to different
material and methods of insulating that give
homes and buildings an appropriate amount of
protection for their geographic region. The
higher the R rating, the better insulated the
home.
One of the top rated insulations is relatively
new to the industry – probably no more than a
couple of decades old – and that is blow in
insulation.
The Benefits of Blow In Insulation:
There are several benefits to blow in insulation
over rolls of fibreglass insulation. The
benefits include the method of installing it,
its energy efficiency and where it can be used.
Here are the top 5 reasons to consider using
blow in insulation:
1.
Blow in insulation is adjustable. Depending on
how much material is used, it can create a
protection with an R value of 15-38.
2.
Only virgin materials are used to create most
blow-in varieties of insulation. This means
there a reduced chance of allergies.
3.
Blowing the material into the crevices allows
for a tighter fit and seal. It can be directed
around corners, beams, or wiring that may
already be in the walls.
4.
Installing blow in insulation is fast. A
barrier, referred to as a blanket is stapled to
all of the 2x4s to keep the material from
floating away and adhering where it isn’t
wanted. Then a small slit is cut into the
blanket. A hose is inserted and measured amounts
of the insulation are blown into place.
5.
This type of insulation is extremely energy
efficient. As it is blown in it expands and
adheres to the surrounding surfaces. It fills
even the tiniest of cracks as it does this.
The Complete Installation Process:
After attaching the blanket to the surrounding
boards, the small opening cut into it allows the
hose to be pointed in all directions around the
wall or ceiling. After the material is in place
the blanket’s slit is closed and taped. This
blanket does not act as a moisture barrier, it
just control the spray. The material itself
resists moisture.
Drywall or other wall materials are then
installed right over the insulation blanket. In
a renovation project this means that an entire
wall would not have to be removed in order to
insulation. Take an extremely old home for
example. There may be no insulation at all.
Instead of removing layers of plaster wall, you
could simply make a hole, position the hose and
fill the walls will energy efficient insulation.
Then patch the wall and the job is complete.
The blow in insulation is more expensive than
traditional insulation. However, experts
estimate that energy savings is so great that
within 2 to 4 years those costs are recovered. |
