LCEC Lee County Electric Cooperative : 411 on Insulation

We have had a chilly start of the year in southwest Florida! If blankets and space heaters aren't cutting it, you may have cranked on the heat to keep your home comfortable. If your home feels especially cold, it could be your insulation. No insulation, regardless of its R-value, can totally stop conducted heat flow. All structures have voids, gaps or weak spots such as doors and windows. Properly installed insulation slows conducted heat flow to allow heating and air conditioning systems to maintain comfortable indoor conditions at reasonable costs. See below for five basic types of insulation.

Rigid Board Insulation
• Typically foam boards made from Polystyrene and urethane.
• Offers highest R-Value per inch thickness, but more expensive than others types.
• Best for applications where restricted space and moisture concerns make other insulation types useless.

Blankets or Batts
• Made from glass fiber or rock wool.
• Available in various thicknesses and widths.
• Easily installed during construction, but difficult to retrofit to finished structures.

Loose-Fill Insulation
• May be glass fibers, rock wool or cellulose fiber.
• Least expensive type of insulation.
• Typically least expensive type of insulation.

Sprayed-Foam Attic Insulation:
• Sprayed on roof decking on inside part of attic.
• Seals home from leaks.
• Helps in reduction of HVAC size.

Radiant Barrier:
• Layer of aluminum foil placed in air space to block radiant heat.
• Growing in popularity for homeowners in warm-weather states.
• Depending on lifestyle, could save between 8-12 percent on annual cooling costs in the southeast.

For a concise breakdown of the five basic types of insulation and general information about this important topic, visit the Insulation page of www.lcec.net. Here's to warm weather making its way to southwest Florida soon!