Fiberglass Insulation
Why to Consider Fiberglass Insulation for Your Home
Fiberglass insulation is an affordable, long-lasting type of insulation that does an excellent job of providing temperature control for your home. Fiberglass insulation can also make your home quieter and more energy efficient while saving you money over the long run. Here's what you need to know about fiberglass insulation and why it may be a good option for your home.
What is Fiberglass Insulation?
Fiberglass is primarily made from glass and sand, which should come as no surprise considering the name. The raw materials are melted at high temperatures in a furnace and spun into fibers. Glass coating is then added to the fibers.
Density is controlled by the speed and height at which the material goes through the curing oven. Any extra material is generally put back through the production process so very little is wasted. For blown fiberglass insulation, the same process of spinning the glass fibers is used but the insulation is left unmolded and loose.
Fiberglass is highly effective at trapping air, which slows the transfer of heat and makes fiberglass an excellent insulator. Fiberglass insulation can come in a number of forms. The blanket form is known as a batt, and comes in large sheets that can be laid down as needed. Fiberglass batts come in various thicknesses depending on how much insulation is needed.
Loose-fill insulation is also an option with fiberglass. Loose-fill insulation is ideal for spaces that may be harder to fit and it can be used in combination with fiberglass batts. Loose-fill insulation is often used in new construction. Before drywall is hung, a special net is stapled onto the studs and then loose-fill insulation is fed into the cavity created to insulate the space very densely.
Insulation is measured in R-value. The thickness and density of the fiberglass insulation determine its R-value. Fiberglass insulation ranges from around R11 to above R30.
Benefits of Fiberglass Insulation
- Affordable. Fiberglass insulation is one of the least expensive but most effective insulation options you can choose. It may not be as cheap as recycled paper insulation but it's not nearly as expensive as cellulose or spray foam. Fiberglass insulation has a superb value that gives you a lot of benefits at a reasonable cost.
- Maintains R-value. Fiberglass insulation R-value tends to remain the same through the years since fiberglass insulation doesn’t settle. Instead, fiberglass insulation, whether it comes in batt form or in loose-fill, tends to keep its shape and maintain its function for the long term.
- Flexible. Between fiberglass batts and loose-fill, almost any kind of space that needs to be insulated can be filled. Fiberglass can go between rafters, work around studs, go into walls, and much more. It’s great for replacing or adding to existing insulation or in new construction.
- Sound insulating. Fiberglass doesn't just insulate against temperature; it also insulates against sound. The natural sound-dampening properties of fiberglass can reduce the noise you hear coming from outside. It can be used in ceilings, walls, and ducts to reduce sound transfer as well as temperature transfer.
- Effective. Fiberglass does a great job of insulating and lowering heating and cooling costs. You will notice a difference in your home's temperature, and heating and cooling bills can be reduced significantly. You may also notice fewer sounds from the outdoors thanks to the noise-reducing quality of fiberglass insulation.
- Resistant to fire. Since fiberglass is primarily made from materials that are naturally resistant to fire, fiberglass insulation has fire retardant qualities. Fiberglass can be treated with additional fire retardant to make it even safer, but this is generally not necessary.
- Largely recycled. Most of the time, fiberglass is made of as much as 30% recycled materials, making it a more environmentally friendly option than many other choices.
- Time Tested. Fiberglass insulation was created in the 1930’s by Owens Corning, and has been used to insulate millions of homes. While new insulation products may hit the market, very few will ever compete with the cost effective and proven performance of fiberglass.
Why Choosing a Quality Installer is so Important
Fiberglass installation may not seem extremely difficult to put into place, particularly if you are working with fiberglass batts. This can make it tempting to do the job yourself.
However, it is a good idea to choose a quality contractor to install fiberglass insulation for you. While you can install fiberglass yourself, you may find that the details that a professional knows to look for are the difference between a properly insulated home that saves money or a DIY project that only marginally improves the comfort of your home.
Here are a few of the reasons why installing fiberglass insulation yourself can be challenging and why you should choose a professional:
Getting Good Coverage Can be Hard
Fiberglass is capable of covering just about every area of your home that needs to be insulated, but that doesn't mean that getting such thorough coverage is easy. You need an installer that knows exactly what they're doing in order to get insulation everywhere that it needs to go. An experienced installer is also very important to make sure that the correct quantity and types of insulation are installed to ensure peak performance.
Air Leaks Can be a Problem
Fiberglass insulation as a stand alone product doesn't protect against air leaks as well as spray foam insulation, therefore an installer will be required to ‘super seal’ small leaks or penetrations, such as light fixtures, with caulking or foam products in conjunction with fiberglass insulation which can help to provide an airtight seal.
Your contractor will need to properly prepare the area. Techniques like using netting to install insulation in new walls is a great way to make fiberglass insulation denser and enable it to create a more effective and airtight seal.
Mold and Moisture May be a Problem
Attentive work must be done to create a vapor barrier that prevents fiberglass insulation from getting wet. Your contractor will carefully check your roof, walls, and anywhere else where water may be able to enter your home to be sure that there are no risks of the fiberglass being dampened.
Special Equipment
Our crews will use a higher quality blower that you can rent at your local big box retail store. This special machinery helps to break up the loose fill insulation and add more ‘texture’ to the material being blown which allows us to get the maximum utility and coverage from each bag of insulation that we install in your attic or walls, which will ultimately create a greater R-value for home.
Where to Use Fiberglass Insulation
Fiberglass insulation is wonderfully flexible, and able to be used just about anywhere you need to insulate. Walls, attics, crawl space, ducts, and more can be insulated with fiberglass.
Fiberglass batts are a great option for cathedral ceilings, and smaller gaps between studs, while loose-fill is a pragmatic solution for large walls that can be netted and blown, as well as attic spaces where most air tends to escape from the home.
In Oklahoma where the climate fluctuates with very high or low temperatures, insulation in walls is also necessary. If you notice that your floors feel very cold in the winter, insulation in the crawl space is a good idea. If you want to insulate your home against noise, insulation in the walls and around ducts is wise.
Your contractor should be able to decide exactly which R-value is needed for which space. In general, attics need to have the highest R-value, usually between R38 and R50. For walls, somewhere between R13 and R21 is effective. Floors and crawl spaces typically need between R13 and R30, depending on your climate.
Why 1907 Insulation is Right for You
When you’re considering home renovations, insulation isn't likely to be the most exciting thing you’re thinking about. New insulation just doesn't have the same attractive qualities as a renovated bathroom or new granite countertops. However, new insulation provides many benefits to your home, making it more comfortable and energy-efficient and potentially making it quieter as well.
1907 Insulation has extensive experience in all types of insulation, including fiberglass insulation. We know how to choose the right product and R-value for every space in your home to save money while insulating properly.
Our attention to detail ensures that fiberglass insulation is installed properly. We maintain a high standard of cleanliness and quality control for each job that we perform.
You'll be impressed by the professionalism of our teams and the quality of our work. We also take time stamped pictures so that you'll have references of the work we did when it is inspected and completed. 1907 Insulation is licensed, bonded, and insured.
Contact 1907 for Your Fiberglass Insulation
Don't hesitate to reach out so that we can provide you with a free quote and get started insulating your home. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that when we’re finished, you will actually save money over the years in the cost to heat and cool your home and that you'll be much more comfortable in the areas where we have added insulation.