Saturday, August 9, 2014

How You Can Benefit By Using Fiberglass Insulation

By Alex D White


Since fiberglass insulation has been around since 1938, most commercial and residential buildings now utilize its use because it is a predominant insulation material. This is because it is power efficient, less pricey and fits well in structures. It is these and other additional features, which have made it to be the number one insulation material in many eco-friendly building projects.

This insulation material is used mostly for acoustical and thermal purposes in attics, wall cavities, and other vital open places in buildings. As such, it has the advantage of value. It costs less installing it compared to other brands, and is preferred because it is the most cost effective option when it comes to thermal resistance, as opposed to spray or cellulose foam systems.

These insulations make the buildings thermally efficient by their ability to retain the right temperature for enclosed spaces, be they cooled or heated. This thermal performance lowers the utility costs for owners, saves nonrenewable fuel sources and allows for greater comfort for the occupants. They are however, more effective when they are used alongside appropriately sized cooling and heating equipment.

In addition, they offer flexibility in terms of design. You can install greater amounts in some parts of a building to improve the overall thermal performance and make up for the spaces with lower thermal values like doors and windows. It also allows for a wider range of R-values by giving the user more options for national and provincial energy code requirements.

Fiberglass insulation items are made with R-values that range from R-8 to R-40. Loose fill fiberglass however, could be full of pneumatic products that may meet around any R-Value specs. These may be installed within the already installed batt insulation when doing restoration projects to equal to the general R-value.

If properly installed, it can maintain the R-Value for a very long time because it does not settle and is inert. You however, need to install the rolls and batts using the maximum designed thickness always, so that you can achieve the right R-value. It has the tendency to lose its R value in some cases, but you can restore its full R-value if you allow it to regain the original thickness.

The insulation does not hold or absorb water. In case it gets wet before, during or after installation, you should inspect every side to see if it has been contaminated. In case it has, you need to dry it completely to restore its full R-value. After you have looked over, and fully dried surrounding area for insulation, it will restore the first R value.

The insulation is noncombustible because it is made from recycled glass and sand. As such, it is not necessary to add any chemical treatments for fire retardant purposes. It is important to note that many building codes recognize that fiberglass insulation has the ability to stop fire in steel and wood framed wall assemblies.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment