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The Importance of
Insulation
A riddle: Which one of the important 'systems' of your home has
no moving parts and is spread throughout the house? Answer:
insulation. Insulation helps keep homes cooler in summer and
warmer in winter. Temperature control is one of the chief
reasons houses were invented, after all.
Insulation works by preventing the transfer of heat by one of
three basic ways: convection, radiation and conduction.
Convection occurs when hot air moves to a cooler area.
Insulation helps block or trap air, preventing the movement.
Warmer bodies radiate heat to cooler surroundings. Radiation
can't be prevented, but it can be directed, or insulated
against. Insulation conducts very little heat, and is placed
between parts that do, preventing heat movement.
How well insulation carries out those tasks is measured by
something called the R-value. The 'R' stands for 'resistive',
in this case to heat transfer. The higher the R-value the more
effective the insulation.
Which R-value insulation is appropriate for your home depends
on several factors: local climate, the other components in the
house (walls, ceilings and floors, carpets, windows, etc) and
the general quality of the construction. Which is actually used
depends largely on local building codes and costs.
Keep in mind, you don't always want the highest number
possible. Houses have to breathe in order to maximize your
health. You can get some guidance for which is best for your
circumstances by contacting the local utility company or by
talking to a knowledgeable person at the building supply
nearest you.
Apart from walls, carpets and windows there are two basic
elements of insulation in most homes: weather stripping and
foam.
Weather stripping usually takes the form of rubber molding
placed around doors and sometimes windows. Replacing it is just
a matter of removing the old strip and gluing or tacking the
new one in place.
Foam generally comes in two types, sheet and particle.
Sheet foam is a strip of insulating material similar in texture
to dried cotton candy (only not sticky!) and often available in
long rolls. The woven material contains numerous air pockets
that, along with its non-conductive nature, provides insulative
ability. Sometimes the strips are covered with a kind of paper,
sometimes even backed by a type of aluminum-like foil.
Laying the sheets down is simple when the area is accessible.
In attic areas, for example, the sheets can simply be unrolled
between two by four support members. Make sure to step only on
the beams (joists), never in between. Ceilings aren't made to
be walked on.
The other major type of insulation comes in small chunks, often
'blown in' by professionals using a specially made machine. You
don't need a multi-thousand dollar machine, however, to replace
small amounts. The material is often some kind of fiberglass.
Other kinds of insulation, such as cellulose, silicates, etc
are sometimes used within walls.
Obtain as many bags as you require to cover the area at least a
few inches deep. How much you need depends, obviously, on your
climate, the size of the area, etc. Consult your local building
supply or knowledgeable home center store clerk.
When working in an attic area, again stepping only on the
beams, put on some latex gloves and toss the material over the
area needed. The gloves aren't for safety, per se. The
insulation isn't toxic, but if you work with it for a couple of
hours you might find your hands uncomfortably dry and
itchy.
Avoid crushing the foam after it's spread over the area. The
air pockets formed are part of what help provide
insulation.
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