Insulation Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Best Insulation for a new Building?
When it comes to a new home or structure that needs insulation, you will want to go with spray foam. The reason that you don’t see as many older homes with spray foam insulation is because it didn’t start being used in homes until the 1970s. It is the better option for new homes and buildings because it seals and insulates much better than fiberglass. After the foam is sprayed onto the structure, it will expand to over 30% of its original size, sealing virtually everything. The reason that we recommend spraying a new building is because it can insulate your building much better, saving you money, improving air quality, and preventing ice dams.
Why is my House is STILL too Hot or Cold with an Insulated Attic?
Is your home to still too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter? Although having your attic insulated helps with the fluctuation of hot and cold air in the home, that doesn’t guarantee that it will keep the whole house insulated. If you had your attic insulated and your home is still struggling to stay warm in the winter, odds are that you will need your exterior walls insulated too. Before you go ahead and insulate those exterior walls, be sure to check the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) equipment in your home and make sure the problem isn’t there. If the problem isn’t from your HVAC system, give us a call 218-556-2523 and we can help get your home properly insulated.
Insulating a Renovation Project?
When it comes to remodeling a home and increasing your R-value, either fiberglass or spray foam insulation can be used. Fiberglass is the most common choice when it comes to installing insulation on preexisting buildings. It is less expensive and easier to install on renovation projects. We can simply blow in or spray foam any attic space, walls, or basement on a preexisting or new home/building to increase efficiency and keep you cool all summer and warm all winter.
Determining the Amount of Wall Insulation in Your Home.
Measure the height and width of any windows or doors in the wall. Multiply the measurements to find the area of each window or door and subtract them from the total square footage of the wall. This gives you the square footage of insulation you need for that wall.
How Proper Insulation Prevents Ice Dams.
An ice dam is a mass of ice that gathers along the lower edge of rooflines; they occur in climates with cold winter temperatures and regular snowfall. Severe ice dams can weigh many hundreds of pounds, compromising the structure of the roof eaves. More critically, ice dams can cause meltwater to back up under the shingles, where it can flow down and ruin ceiling and wall surfaces. If ignored, ice dams can cause serious damage to your roof, gutters, paint, insulation and interior drywall and other surfaces.
They can be prevented by having proper insulation in the attic. A blown in fiber glass attic can prevent the biggest of ice dams from forming on your roof. When an attic is improperly insulated, it will allow heat from the main of the house to rise through the attic and onto the roof. When the heat rises to the roof, it will melt the snow and build up a large dam of ice on the roof. These dams create moisture in the attic and eventually travel down to the main of the house, causing mold and worsened air quality
What is R-Value?
Insulation is rated by it’s R-Value. It refers to a materials resistance to heat flow. Insulation with a higher R-Value will be more effective. With that, the insulation with a higher R-Value is more efficient at keeping your home at the comfortable temperature you want it. Closed cell spray foam typically has a R-Value of around 6.5 per inch, while blown in fiberglass is around 2.2 per inch. So, spray foam is the most efficient option.