The Leading Contractor in the Area
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service
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Phone: 920.748.3996 |
rab@charterinternet.com |
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FAX: 920-748-3062 |
426 E Fond du Lac St., Ripon, WI 54971 |
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Since blankets compress so easily, can I increase the effectiveness of my insulation by squeezing a 5 1/2" R-21 blanket into a 2x4 wall instead of using 3 1/2", R-15 blanket? Why increase the insulation in your home? Will insulating my home increase the resale value?
Insulation materials have tiny pockets of trapped air. These pockets resist the transfer of heat through material. The ability of insulation to slow the transfer of heat is measured in R-values. An "R" is a measure of insulating power. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation material's ability to resist the flow of heat through it. R-values are not directly related to the thickness of the insulation product. For example, 3 1/2", R-15 fiberglass insulation for exterior 2x4 walls is the same thickness as its 3 1/2", R-11 counterpart; however, R-15 is a much denser product (more fibers per square inch) and, therefore, gives you greater insulating power, with an additional four R-values. No. R-value refers to insulation's resistance to heat flow, not to its thickness. Tiny air pockets trapped in the insulating material resist the passage of heat - heat gain in the warm summer months, and heat loss in the colder fall and winter season. The higher the insulation's R-value, the greater its insulating power. Since blankets compress so easily, can I increase the effectiveness of my insulation by squeezing a 5 1/2" R-21 blanket into a 2x4 wall instead of using 3 1/2", R-15 blanket? No. Compressing thick blanket insulation into a smaller wall space will not necessarily increase your insulation's efficiency. Insulation works on the principle of trapped air pockets. By compressing blanket insulation, you decrease the amount of air trapped in the material. A vapor barrier helps control the amount of moisture passing through the insulation and collecting inside exterior walls, ceilings and floors. In the winter, any moisture that passes through to these surfaces can accumulate and condense on the cold inner sides of exterior surfaces. Eventually, this condensation may blister the outside paint, from stains, or even damage the house structure. Whatever vapor barrier you choose, remember this important rule of thumb: in heating climates, install the vapor barrier toward the warm-in-winter side (living area) of the house. Properly installed ventilation creates a positive flow of air that allows the house to "breath" and helps prevent moisture build-up year-round. Why increase the insulation in your home? A well-insulated and weather stripped home is comfortable with an inside temperature of 65 F to 68 F during the winter. A poorly insulated home requires a temperature at least 3 F higher to maintain the same level of comfort. Will insulating my home increase the resale value? According to nationally syndicated real estate columnist James Dulley, if you upgrade your attic insulation to recommended minimum levels for your area, at resale you should expect to receive up to 200% of the cost of a do-it-yourself job.
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