The Best Roof Insulation: 5 Types and Their Benefits
There’s probably no home improvement project more cost-effective than insulating your home. Such a project will bring you plenty of benefits like reduced energy bills in terms of heating and cooling, a smaller carbon footprint, and a more comfortable home overall. When evaluating the energy efficiency of your home, it’s important to know where the temperature transfer takes place.
For the average home, roughly 10% of heat escapes through the windows, some 35% of energy gets lost through the walls, while another 25% escapes through the roof. This energy loss applies both in the winter and summer, making you heat and cool your home more than you should need. The most effective way to prevent this energy loss is by insulating your home. By adding as little as 4 inches of fiberglass insulation to your roof, for instance, you will see a potential heat loss reduction in that area by as much as 75%.
Also, roof insulation will help prevent the formation of ice dams and icicles during the winter, both of which pose a serious threat to your home and the people walking below.
That said, there are several types of roof insulation to choose from, each with its own specific benefits.
Blanket Insulation
Blanket insulation is the most common type of insulation used in homes across the United States. It typically comes in rolls with a foil backing and is made out of glass wool – a recycled material with an excellent environmental rating. Glass wool insulation is among the most cost-effective and easiest to install.
Wool Insulation
Wool insulation comes in several forms. Rock mineral wool insulation is more solid than glass wool insulation. This type of insulation is also resilient against heat and fire.
A different alternative is sheep’s wool insulation, which is great when applying it between roof beams, offering an alternative to synthetic types of insulation. Sheep wool lasts well over 50 years and is treated to be resistant toward fire and insects.
Sheet Insulation
This type of insulation comes in sheets and is typically used to insulate the sloping sides of a roof. Sheet insulation is generally more expensive and more energy-intensive to manufacture, but it also has a high insulation value.
Sprayed Foam Insulation
Sprayed foam is another common type of insulation across the US; this is a versatile type of insulation, particularly useful in hard-to-reach places. As its name would suggest, liquid foam is sprayed on a surface, expanding and hardening as the mixture cures. Slow curing foams will flow around any obstructions before hardening.
Structural Insulated Panels
As compared to many other traditional methods, structural panels offer excellent insulation. These are prefabricated panels used on walls, floors, and roofs, and can be anywhere between four to eight inches thick. They are made to fit in various sizes in a factory and will be shipped to the site to be installed. Structural insulated panels can be used in many types of homes, but they are ideally used in a new property.
If youโre considering roofing insulation or any other type of home improvement project, 1-800 HANSONSย has you covered. Our services come with a full lifetime warranty that includes materials, parts, and labor. Contact us today for a free estimate.
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