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© 2008 by Kelly Smith all rights reserved
Does Your Home Have Enough Fiberglass Insulation?
Or Denim or Soy Insulation?
11/19/08
Of course, fiberglass insulation is the most common insulation in existing homes and new construction.
It doesn’t require any special equipment to install and it’s more economical than spray foam.
What’s up with Soy Spray Foam Insulation?
Nope, not a joke. If you're familiar with the fact that soy beans are easy to grow and do well in many
climates, you’ll understand why it makes such a green and sustainable building material.
Soy spray foam insulation
is sprayed on as a liquid which quickly expands and fills all voids, making a
very air-tight building. And it’s water-based so there’s no questionable chemicals.
Now is the Time To Beef Up Attic Insulation
If your home is already built and occupied, insulating walls is problematic, but
installing attic insulation
is a snap. And it’s not so hot up there now to make it a miserable job.
But that stuff is itchy! That’s because the tiny fiberglass fibers stick into the pores on your skin.
There are ways to handle it, though. You can wipe your arms down with fingernail polish remover. The
active ingredient is acetone. Save big bucks by buying a can of it at the home improvement store.
I used to install a lot of the stuff in the summer when I was
installing suspended acoustical ceilings
and framing walls and hanging drywall. I lived in an apartment at the time. After work I’d just slip
into my swimming suit and hop in the pool.
That took care of it. I suspect that it just washed off, although logically, it seems like the cool
water would tighten up the pores. Whatever. It worked
Rockwool: the Insulation From Hell
Rockwool is the worst, no doubt about it. It’s also a fiber kind of construction material. It also has
some chunks of stuff I can’t even speculate about. I just know they would dull the blade of a
utility knife quicker than anything I’ve ever seen.
How Much is Enough?
Good question. It's tempting to say as much as you can stuff up there, but there is a point of diminishing
returns. Owens-Corning (the pink panther people) tell us "The amount of insulation to add depends on
two factors - the amount and type of insulation already in place and the recommended R-value for your
location."
The minimum in the US depends of where you live but the maximum that the government recommends is
R-60. In the south, the minimum is R-30. It increases as you go north, finally getting to a minimum of
R-48 if you live in, say, Nebraska or Minnesota.
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