Fiberglass Loose Fill Insulation and Fiberglass Batt Insulation in Belleville

With home insulation, it’s an advantage for homeowners to understand the ABCs

While it’s not necessary for the typical homeowner to get overly technical about home insulation, it certainly is advantageous to understand the basics.  And for those looking to purchase fiberglass loose fill insulation or fiberglass batt insulation in Belleville, a little knowledge will make for a good working relationship with the contractor. Home insulation is basically about stopping “heat flow”. In winter, it’s about stopping heat from flowing out of the house. And in summer, it’s about stopping heat from flowing into the house. By any measure, “heat flow” isn’t good – it compromises energy efficiency in the home, and it makes for higher energy bills, including winter heating and summer air conditioning.

For professionals in the industry, “heat flow” is highly dependent on a building’s “envelope" – that’s the physical structure that comprises the home. The “envelope” is made of building materials that impact “heat flow” either positively or negatively. And when it’s time to insulate, the main goal for a contractor is to somehow remove the negative impacts. That’s why choosing the right insulation for the job is so vital. Needless to say, a quality insulation product, along with a quality installation, will tackle the “heat flow” issues and consequently restore energy efficiency. For the homeowner, the outcomes are many: enhanced energy consumption; improved energy usage; and lower heating/air conditioning bills.

For residential home insulation, there are countless products available. And of course, each brand manufacturer will claim to have the best product. For the homeowner, however, insulation must meet specific criteria, whichever product is ultimately chosen. First - the insulation must halt air movement. Second – the insulation must prevent moisture from collecting. And third – the insulation must boost current R-Values. For professional insulation contractors, these criteria are key to a project’s success. As for a DIY approach to home insulation, there may be savings, but nothing can quite compare with an expert touch. Working with an expert installer brings about much better outcomes in the long run.

Fiberglass insulation products remain as popular choices in North America

Over the years, and in most of North America, residential homeowners have often chosen fiberglass insulation products for their homes (batts and/or loose fill). Fiberglass insulation is commonly used in the attic and roof, as well as in basements and garages. It’s an installation that provides good R-Values and satisfactory product lifespan. A quality fiberglass product, and a quality install will greatly improve energy efficiency in a home and will better balance energy consumption throughout the seasons.

Like many home projects, installing fiberglass insulation requires professional expertise for a good job. Expert installers understand the various product options, and can offer recommendations on which install would be best for the job. For example, a professional will install loose fill insulation so that the   consistency and uniformity ensures optimum performance. In the same way, a professional will install fiberglass batts in a strategic fashion, again to ensure that the install offers maximum performance.

Fiberglass batts and fiberglass loose fill insulation have definite benefits

Fiberglass insulation performs best when installed along manufacturer’s specifications. Both fiberglass products (loose fill and batts) are safe for residential use – they are fabricated to be non-combustible; non-corrosive; and asbestos-free. The better brands are pre-tested for air-quality. And for customers who want to be “green”, the better brands of fiberglass are manufactured to contain recycled glass.

After installation, fiberglass will not attract animals, rodents, or insects. However, it’s essential with a fiberglass install to provide appropriate ventilation throughout the installed space. This is necessary to prevent any product deterioration and to ensure a longer lifespan for the installation. For homeowners purchasing fiberglass insulation in Belleville, this is a cost-effective approach with satisfactory results.

There are also some definite disadvantages with a fiberglass installation

For professional installers, fiberglass insulation does not always address all of the issues. Even with the best of installations, fiberglass will not entirely stop air movement, and will not entirely stop moisture from collecting. Clearly, this could be a problem when installing fiberglass in the attic or roof.

Another issue with fiberglass insulation is air leakage. Neither batts nor loose fill insulation do a good job sealing a space. Therefore, air leakage is a definite problem, and will compromise the performance of the insulation. For the professional installer, sealing a space is key for insulation performance.

Another potential problem is when fiberglass gets wet. Eventually, a wet fiberglass environment loses product integrity; loses its original R-Value; and will slowly deteriorate over time. Here, the only realistic resolution is to remove and reinstall the insulation and start again from scratch.

As a substitute to fiberglass insulation, spray foam is a viable product option

Because of the disadvantages of fiberglass insulation, spray foam insulation has emerged as a viable alternative.  Spray foam is a unique product that can do more with one install than any comparable product.  It stops air from leaking; it stops moisture from collecting; and it provides high R-Value.

Probably most important with spray foam is the capacity to eliminate “heat flow”. Spray foam totally seals a space – the environment becomes airtight and the insulating potential is at peak. Simply put, there is no other insulation product that can deliver the same benefits in a single application.

For many homeowners, the most cost-effective option may well be the “hybrid” approach.

Today, many professionals are choosing spray foam insulation for the attic, basement, and even walls. But realistically, this is not a product/install for every budget. Hence, the insulation experts at Great Northern Insulation offer a budget-conscious option for home insulation - the “hybrid” approach.

The so-called “hybrid” approach installs spray foam insulation, along with a supplemental install of fibreglass insulation. With this approach, the spray foam does the sealing and insulating, and the fibreglass adds additional R-Value to the space, while ensuring cost-effectiveness.

For homeowners operating within a specific budget, the “hybrid” installation could well be the best of all options.