INSULATING YOUR HOME HELPS EFFICIENCY AND YOUR WALLET: When to insulate Improving your home’s insulation is always a responsible renovation that will make your home feel cozier and reduce energy bills. Start with the attic: you can upgrade anytime with minimal disturbance, says Chris Higgins, program leader at LEED Canada for Homes and Canada Green Building Council in Vancouver. Tackle the exterior walls when you’re renovating. “If someone is re-siding their house, that’s an excellent time to consider insulating the exterior walls,” Higgins says. Likewise, if you’re planning a kitchen or bathroom renovation, it may be worth opening interior walls to upgrade insulation. ☑ Should you insulate? Homes that are at least 30 years old can generally use an insulation upgrade, says Higgins (especially century homes, which may have no insulation at all—it simply wasn’t installed back then). He recommends getting an energy audit to find out the R-value of your house’s existing insulation so you know how much to add, and where, to recoup your investment. Stephan Fisher, general manager of Knights Insulation in Vancouver, recommends using blown-in cellulose for attics. “It’s fast and effective, and unlike batt, it covers the rafters to prevent thermal bridging”—the transfer of the cold from outdoors to the attic via the rafters (or the framing studs in walls). Insulating walls in an old home isn’t as complicated and messy as you may think. Rather than tearing down lath and plaster walls, the installer can drill holes into the walls from the exterior and blow in cellulose. For about $2 per square foot, says Fisher, “It’s the best way to retrofit your home.” ☑ Choosing the right insulation LOOSE FILL Loose cellulose or fibreglass is blown into a wall cavity or attic. Best for Retrofitting attics and walls R-value per inch 3–3.7 Not ideal for Concrete walls, below-grade stone walls, unvented ceiling and deck cavities, since moisture significantly cuts the insulating properties of cellulose $ per sq. ft. $2 in walls; $1 for R-40, $0.90 for R-28, $0.80 for R-20 in attics Pros Inexpensive, relatively easy to have installed. Can be blown in via holes drilled into the exterior of homes with lath and plaster interior walls. Cons Not a do-it-yourself project; requires specialized equipment. BATT Batt insulation is usually made of mineral material or fibreglass. It also comes in cotton (see photo), but it’s pricier and less readily available. Best for Interior walls; tight budgets R-value per inch Mineral wool: 2.8–3.7; fibreglass: 3–3.7 Not ideal for Unvented attic and deck cavities $ per sq. ft. Fibreglass: $1 for R-14 or R-20; mineral wool: $1.20 for R-14 or $1.60 for R-22 Pros Fibreglass batt is the cheapest insulation product. Mineral wool made in Canada contains 45 to 85 per cent recycled material. Cons Fibreglass batt: not easy to cut, which makes it difficult to properly fit; R-value is greatly reduced if not installed properly; can cause severe itching and skin rashes during installation; installers should wear protective gear and clothing. SPRAY FOAM Expanding spray foams are applied to surfaces to block the transfer of heat and cold. There are two types: two-pound closed-cell foam, which is both an air and vapour barrier, and half-pound open-cell foam, which must be installed with a vapour barrier. Best for Closed-cell: most applications, including ceilings and unvented roof-decks; open-cell: walls and other moisture-free spaces R-value per inch Closed-cell: 5.5–6; open-cell: 3.6 Not ideal for Installing near a furnace, water tank or fireplace, since spray foam is flammable; don’t install open-cell foam in leak-prone spaces, such as attics $ per sq. ft. Closed-cell: $3 for R-20, $4.50 for R-28; open-cell: $2 for R-20, $3 for R-28, $4 for R-40 Pros Closed-cell has the second-highest R-value per inch of all insulation types and is great for tight spaces and unvented attics due to its high R-value per inch; open-cell can be used in virtually any application. Cons Priciest insulation option; must be applied by a specialized contractor; foams are made of petroleum products. RIGID/BOARD-STOCK Rigid boards of foam, mineral fibre or fibreglass. Best for Exteriors only, either beneath siding, below ground level or on roofs R-value per inch Foam: 3.6–6.7; mineral fibre or fibreglass: 4.2–4.5 Not ideal for Attics, walls, ceilings $ per sq. ft. $3 for R-20, $4.50 for R-28 Pros Some rigid foam has the highest R-value per inch; works well in wet conditions (fibreglass and mineral fibre products drain water away). Cons Limited applications; generally installed only as part of a major renovation, such as replacing siding or the roof, or digging out around the foundation.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 03:35:37 +0000
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