The walls of your home are a significant source of air leaks and energy loss. Adding insulation to exterior walls is vital for maximizing comfort and energy efficiency all year round. In general, we also recommend insulating interior walls to reduce sound transference between rooms.
To get the most from your efforts, you must choose the right insulation for the job. Here are the various wall insulation types we offer here at Builders Installed Products:
Fiberglass Wall Insulation
You have probably heard of fiberglass insulation, a product that builders have trusted for decades to insulate walls safely and cost-effectively. This material consists of extremely fine spun glass fibers. It’s most commonly available in batt form, but you can also apply fiberglass as blown-in (loose-fill) insulation.
If you have unfinished walls in your home, fiberglass batts are an easy, cost-effective way to fill the space between the studs. By choosing fiberglass with a kraft paper, foil-kraft paper or vinyl facing, the insulation doubles as a vapor and/or air barrier.
Perhaps you want to add insulation to existing walls without tearing them down. This is possible with blown-in fiberglass. A technician drills small holes into the wall between each stud and inserts the nozzle of a special machine to blow the insulation into place. The insulation fills the cavity from top to bottom to help slow heat transfer through the wall.
Cellulose Wall Insulation
Cellulose insulation is made of newsprint and other paper products. With up to 80 percent recycled content, cellulose is one of the most eco-friendly insulation materials available.
Cellulose is available as blown-in insulation, making it one of the best options for insulating finished walls in your home. The installation process typically involves removing a strip of siding from the home’s exterior, drilling small holes between each wall stud and inserting a tube to fill the cavity to a density of 3.5 pounds per cubic foot.
When the installation is complete, the technician seals the holes and replaces the siding, touching up the area if necessary to create a seamless finished product. It’s also possible to install cellulose in unfinished walls by stapling netting over the cavities between each stud.
Spray Foam Wall Insulation
Spray foam is one of the more unique wall insulation types. It starts out as a liquid during the installation process and hardens into thick foam after a few minutes. Some spray foam offers twice the R-value of traditional batt insulation, making it a useful option for insulating shallow spaces. It also serves as an effective air barrier, which may be appropriate for your home.
Adding spray foam to finished walls is very similar to installing blown-in insulation. The technician cuts small holes in the wall and inserts a nozzle that fills the cavity with foam. As it expands, the foam fills every nook and cranny, making it an efficient insulator with no need to tear down the wall. Spray foam is also a popular choice for insulating and air sealing walls in new building projects.
Install Wall Insulation in Albany, NY
If you’re not sure which wall insulation types will work best for you, allow our team of professionals to help you make the right choice. Our goal is to reduce energy loss in your home to keep your comfort level high and your energy bills low.
Contact Builders Installed Products today for a free job estimate or to learn more about insulating the walls of your Albany area home.
