Which type of insulation is right for your home?
Before the leaves announce the changing of the seasons and summer weather gives way to cooler temperatures, we encourage homeowners to shore up their homes with proper insulation. Adding insulation to your home is an easy way to save money on heating and cooling costs and can help keep your home’s interior comfortable year-round.
As goes for most things in life, it’s important to know your options. While there are a variety of home insulation products available on the market—including fiberglass batts, mineral wool and EPS rigid foam panels—their levels of efficiency and inherent performance capabilities can vary.
Let’s take a closer look at the different types of popular home insulation products within reach so that you can decide what’s best for your home improvement project.
Fiberglass
Over the years, fiberglass insulation has proven its ability to increase energy efficiency and reduce utility costs. That said, handling and cutting this type of insulation material to size can be challenging. It’s difficult to complete a fiberglass insulation project without leaving a few energy-wasting gaps in coverage. Even a small void can diminish the project’s overall insulating value. Not to mention, fiberglass insulation contains ultra-thin, small glass fibers that can easily irritate your hands and arms during the installation process.
Mineral wool
In many ways, mineral wool is a premium insulation product. It has a good R-value, contains recycled materials (which makes it appealing to green homeowners), and has superior sound-deadening properties. However, mineral wool is a very expensive insulation product. Because it’s not a common choice for home projects, it’s not typically available in a wide range of sizes at home improvement stores.
EPS rigid foam panels
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) rigid foam insulation can be employed throughout your home’s building envelope—including the basement, floors, walls and attic—for high-caliber insulation. EPS rigid foam is a lightweight, customizable insulation that affords non-degenerative thermal properties and moisture resistance.
In addition to its premium performance capabilities, ultra-lightweight EPS installs easily over your home’s framing, providing continuous insulation (ci) in a way that’s not possible with batts or rolls. EPS rigid foam panels can be cut to accommodate your project’s needs using common household tools, such as a table saw or a straight edge and knife. This simple, effective home insulation solution is available for purchase at most big box stores.
What’s next?
Now that you know your home insulation options, it’s time to roll up your sleeves – the cooler fall weather is imminent! Nationally, big box stores typically stock a range of insulation products that will help you get the job done, including EPS rigid foam products such as R-Tech® insulation from Insulfoam.
