Quantcast
 

Definition: Insulation

Thu, 10/04/2007 - 1:36pm by casasugar
2,777 Views - 5 comments

Insulation is a category of materials used in homes and other buildings to help them retain heat (or more technically, to help them resist the flow of heat).

The effectiveness of insulation is measured by its "R-Value." The higher a material's R-Value, the better it resists the flow of heat, and therefore, the better it insulates the building. For example, R-19 insulation retains heat better than R-11 insulation. Basically, the higher your home's insulation level, the cozier you'll feel. Insulation will prevent hot air from creeping inside of your home in the summer, and keep hot air from escaping your home during the winter.


There are now many green types of insulation available. Two popular types of green insulation are cellulose insulation, which is made from recycled paper, and denim insulation, which is made from recycled jeans. "Entourage" star Adrian Grenier used UltraTouch denim insulation in his Brooklyn brownstone.

Source

Read Related:  

5 Comments Add a Comment

  • casasugar's picture
    casasugar
    3

    KACIEJPC, it's actually better, across the board. Take a look at these facts I found online comparing cellulose insulation and fiberglass insulation:

    Studies comparing blown-in cellulose insulation versus fiberglass insulation show that cellulose insulation was 38% tighter and required 26% less energy. A Princeton University study shows that a group of homes with blown-in cellulose insulation in the walls had an average of 24.5% reduction of air infiltration compared to fiberglass insulation, with only the walls insulated. A similar study, the Leominster MA Housing Project for the Elderly found that a building with blown-in cellulose insulation compared to a building with R-13 fiberglass batt insulation in the walls and R-38 fiberglass batt insulation in the ceiling had 40% lower leakage.

    You can read more here: http://www.rvalue.net/page5.html

    1 year 6 weeks ago Report Comment
  • raptinrainbows's picture
    raptinrainbows
    5

    i recently retrofitted my place with cellulose, blown into the walls and roof cavity. i wanted airkrete (a cementitious insulation) or the denim adrian used, but airkrete was far too expensive and the denim isn't good for retrofitting closed cavities. i'm happy with the cellulose. in addition to being a good thermal insulator, it's also a decent acoustic insulator.

    1 year 6 weeks ago Report Comment

Leave a Comment

To post comments, please sign in or register.



Morsels of goodness, delivered daily.

Enter your email below:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 











©1976-2008 Sugar Inc. | Privacy (updated July-4-2008) | Terms of Use | Copyright Policy | Advertise | Contact Us