Ceiling Insulation Types - For Both Warm or Cool Home Comforts
By: John Crowe
Submitted: 2010-08-19 01:00:32 | Word Count: 663
Throughout the year, the comfort of your home can be improved effectively by insulating it. Whether to keep it warm or cool, any ceiling insulation types reduce the amount of energy needed.
The size of any cooling or heating units you need to buy will likewise be reduced. With the initial purchase, money is saved and running costs are kept down by the insulation. The job required need not be worked hard by the different ceiling insulation types. Especially for a house that’s not well-ventilated, insulation may not work well with large areas of un-shaded windows.
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The resistance to heat flow is indicated by the R-value. This is thermal resistance by which insulation is rated. The insulating effectiveness is greater with a higher R-value. The type of material, its density and thickness create the R-value of thermal insulation. By adding the R-values of individual layers, the R-value of a multi-layered installation can be calculated.
Two types make up the basic types of insulation. Trapped pockets of still air are located within fibreglass or cellulose fibre products. The flow of heat is reduced by the physical barrier provided by this bulk insulation basic type. Only small amounts of heat are absorbed and emitted by the other basic type referred to as reflective foil insulation. Kept shiny to work best, the reflective surface reflects heat away. Between the insulation and your adjacent ceiling surface, a still air space should be kept.
The high resistance of reflective foil to heat flow makes it particularly effective for your summer roof insulation. After the sun has gone down, your home gets to cool more quickly. Kraft paper, plastic film, cardboard or polyethylene bubbles make up the variety of backings in reflective insulation systems fabricated from aluminium foils. The heat flow direction determines its resistance. Downward heat flow is effectively reduced by this type of insulation.
Glass wool is the correct name of insulating fibreglass. This mineral fibre made from spun fibres of molten glass serves as blankets to insulate ceilings and even walls. Also in blankets, rock wool is made from spun fibres of molten volcanic rock. Usually denser than glass wool, it comes in loose-fill form. Better insulation and noise absorption if offered by it especially when installed to the same thickness. To both fire and insect attack these are strongly resistant.
A mix of borax and boric acid is added to cellulose insulation which is made from pulverized recycled paper. The material becomes fire retardant by the mixture. Mainly used as loose-fill ceiling insulation, cellulose helps to deer cockroaches and silverfish.
Also mainly sold as loose-fill ceiling insulation, sheep’s wool is a type made from waste wool. A relatively new type which also comes in blankets is the polyester. Other available materials include polyurethane and polystyrene foams, mineral loose-fill granulates, and some reflective foil materials.
How and where your insulation is installed determine the effectiveness of an insulated ceiling. The full rated R-value of insulation may not be given particularly when it is compressed and when using different form together. Having lighter insulation under a denser one creates this compression. Lower density insulation should not have material of higher density on its top as it can get easily compressed. Its R-value lowered as the thickness of the material underneath is reduced.
Professional installation is may be required by your type of insulation. The R-values, thickness needed, and forms should be considered when installing insulation. The nature of the spaces that you plan to insulate determines the ceiling installation types to be installed.
