Insulation Materials and their Uses
Fiberglass, cellulose and rock wool batts are traditional, efficient and cheap insulation materials. But rigid foam panels, loose-fill insulation and sprayed insulation are also part of today's offer.
The most suitable type of insulation depends on where you want the insulation (attic? walls? floor? basement?....) and on the adequate insulation values (R-values: thermal performance) for such places.
Traditional insulation materials
Traditional and inexpensive insulation materials comprise:
- Cellulose (made from recycled paper)
- Fiberglass (made from molten glass)
- Mineral wool (rockwool and snag woll, made from some molten rocks).
These products come in different forms: rigid batts and rolls, loose-fill and sprayed-on materials.
See, for more details:
Fiberglass vs. Rock Wool insulation
Cellulose insulation and its problems
Loose-fill insulation
Fiber insulation
Blown cavity wall insulation
Roof cooling reflective insulation
Green Insulation Materials
Synthetics (Foams)
More recent insulation materials include some highly efficient synthetics, namely rigid insulators as Extruded Polystyrene Foam (XPS), Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPS or bead board), Polyisocyanurate Foam or Polyurethane Foam.
See, for more details:
Foams rigid insulation values
Sprayed foam insulation value
Insulation Materials
Insulation materials come in different forms, namely:
Blankets - flexible Batts or Rolls:
Typically fiberglass, mineral wool and cellulose batts and blankets.
Loose-Fill (blown-in):
Rock wool, fiberglass, cellulose loose-fill insulation
Sprayed fiber and sprayed foam insulation
Fiber insulation (fiberglass, cellulose and rockwool) insulation
Spray foam insulation: polyurethane...
Rigid Insulators (Rigid foam panels):
Extruded polystyrene foam (XPS)
Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS or bead board)
Polyurethane foam
Polyisocyanurate foam
Reflective Materials:
Foil-faced paper
Foil-faced polyethylene bubbles
Foil-faced plastic film
Foil-faced cardboard
Pictures above (from Resnet): four main types of insulation: blanket insulation, fiber insulation, foam insulation and reflective insulation.
Uses of batts, rolls (Blankets)
(Fiberglass, Cellulose and rock wool)
Insulation batts and blankets are particularly suitable for...
- Wall cavities (new construction);
- Timber floors;
- Ceilings: flat ceilings (pitched roofs) and cathedral or raked ceilings;
- Suspended slabs.
Their application is often a do-it-yourself task. Batts are mainly used in standard spaces free of obstructions, and they should fit closely around beams and joists, without gaps and voids (and without being compressed). Otherwise, their effectiveness will be affected.
Uses of Loose-Fill, Spray-applied materials
Rock wool, Fiberglass, Cellulose and Polyurethane foam
These insulation materials are particularly suited for irregular areas and around obstructions, or for adding insulation to existing buildings. They are also a good option to unfinished attic floors.
They are blown into place or applied by spray (they typically demand special equipment). In the case of walls, they are applied in existing or new cavities.
They are particularly used in...
- Flat ceilings / Pitched roofs
- Cathedral / Raked ceilings
- Walls
Uses of Rigid Insulation Foams
The main foams - Extruded polystyrene foam, Expanded polystyrene foam, Polyurethane foam and Polyisocyanurate foam - offer high R-values and are largely used in...
- Flat ceilings / Pitched roof;
- Cathedrals or raked ceilings;
- Timber floors;
- Suspended slabs;
- Slab Edges;
- Brick and Full masonry walls;
- Framed walls;
Uses of radiant barriers
Reflective insulation materials (also known as radiant barriers and reflective foil laminates or RFL) are in most cases a shiny aluminum foil laminated onto paper or plastic. RFL sheets (sarking), RFL concertina-type and RFL bubble-form are very common. Their goal is to prevent the sun's heat, and are mainly used in hotter climates.
See, for more details: Roof cooling with reflective insulation
Insulation Materials & Environmental Considerations
Not all insulation materials are eco-friendly. Some are greener than others. Some include large amounts of recycled content. And some insulation foams still can use CFC's (most don't, fortunately)...
See also: