A Professional Approach to Fiberglass Insulation

January 28, 2016

With the rising cost of utility bills, energy efficiency in the home has become an important issue for many homeowners. Today, keeping the house warm in winter and cool in summer is only a minimum requirement. Today, its also about saving money on energy consumption, and keeping utility bills as low as possible. Here, a well insulated home can provide the homeowner with comfort and cost savings right around the calendar year.For the professionals, a home is a "building system" and it needs to be properly sealed, properly insulated and properly ventilated. It's this combination that will ensure balanced heating and cooling cycles and HVAC equipment that is performing at peak. In short, a residential insulation project is not complete unless there is an air barrier, a vapor barrier, and proper ventilation throughout. This is a true professional approach to insulation. Hiring a professional contractor will ensure the best outcomes when installing insulation. A homeowner can be sure that the insulation product will be properly installed; the space will be completely sealed; and air circulation will be properly balanced. When installing fiberglass insulation, its also important to have an effective air barrier and vapor barrier in order to prevent unwanted air movement and avert any moisture accumulation. In North America, fiberglass insulation products are popular, and can provide satisfactory results when expertly installed. But the very best product on the market remains Spray Polyurethane Foam. It's an application that seals and insulates better than anything else, and provides the highest R-Value of any comparable application. However, its known to be more costly than others, and may not accommodate all project budgets. In terms of project investment, the fiberglass insulation products are cost effective for most budgets. The fiberglass "batts" deliver satisfactory energy efficiency as well as good value. And with a professional installation, the "batts" will not settle over time, and will retain their R-Value for years. On the downside, fiberglass does not provide effective sealing, and poses an installation problem that should be discussed with a contractor. Another option with fibreglass is the so-called "blown-in" product. Again, the insulation value is satisfactory, and settling should not be problematic when professionally installed. But with all of the attributes of fibreglass, many contractors are recommending a more comprehensive installation that combines Spray Polyurethane Foam with one of the fibreglass products. The results and dollar value are worth the investment. Whichever insulation product is chosen, a professional touch is recommended for a good many reasons. Expert contractors install the highest quality products, while assuring the highest level of workmanship. They also provide sound product warrantees for their customers, and long term guarantees on the installations. Finally, experts don't take unnecessary shortcuts and always install according to the manufacturer's specifications. While there are definitely money savings to be had with a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to home insulation, it's the experts who usually do a better job with better results. They know how to deliver peak product performance and long term value much better than the weekend DIY enthusiast.