With winter around the corner, you may already be bracing yourself to bundle up inside your home. You know that cold weather is coming, but you’re not sure how to make your home feel warmer.
The reality is, blow in insulation may be the solution to your Old Man Winter woes.
Blow-in insulation can do more than keep your North Port home comfortable year round. It can also help you to save on your monthly utility expenses.
Here’s a rundown on how blow-in insulation works.
Let’s jump in!
How Does Blow in Insulation Work?
This type of insulation works by filling between your existing ceiling joists and wall studs easily and quickly.
During a new construction project, fiberglass batt insulation is trimmed to fit between ceiling joists and wall studs before wallboard is set up to boost your insulation values.
However, installing batt insulation in an existing home usually isn’t feasible. That’s because you would have to tear down drywall to make this happen. This is a time-consuming, messy, and expensive process.
Meanwhile, you can add blow-in insulation to your walls and attics without any trouble.
Three Types of Blow-in Insulation
Blow-in insulation comes in three forms: cellulose, rock wool, and loose-fill fiberglass. All of these come with their own unique advantages.
Cellulose
Cellulose is the market’s most commonly found blow-in insulation option. The benefit of this type of insulation is that it is chemically treated in such a way as to resist fire and mold (more on this later).
You will need more than five inches of it to equal the insulating value you’d get with an R-19 batt of insulation.
Rock Wool
The second type of insulation, called rock wool, is also known as mineral wool. It’s made from an iron ore and iron firing byproduct known as blast furnace slag.
This slag has to be heated up and then mixed with minerals. It is then turn into a light, airy product whose texture resembles that of the raw wool of a sheep.
This particular blow-in insulation option stands out for being exceptionally fire resistant. In fact, it is often recommended for areas that must be in compliance with fire codes.
These areas include, for example, connecting walls between houses and attached garages. They also include floors between garages and the finished rooms over these garages.
Loose-Fill Option
Meanwhile, the loose-fill option is made from glass. This glass is heated so that it becomes a liquid. Then, it is spun into skinny fibers.
This light insulation can easily be blown into wall spaces and attics. You’ll need around 7.5 inches to match an R-19 batt of insulation.
Why Use Blow-in Insulation?
Blow-in insulation can seal small spaces and gaps when it settles. Thus, it can fill in those spots where air from outside would otherwise enter your home.
In addition, the insulation can effortlessly conform to and settle around most obstructions present in attics and walls.
This type of insulation can also decrease the transfer of sound between the indoors and outdoors. Thus, undesired noise from the street in front of your property can be softened.
Other Benefits of Blow-in Insulation
Another major benefit of blow-in cellulose insulation in particular is that it usually comes from wood — specifically paper. This includes such paper products as office paper, cardboard, and recycled newspapers. Thus, this type of insulation is deemed a home product that is eco-friendly.
You’ll also love the fact that blow-in insulation is generally inexpensive. On top of this, it can stand up well against vermin and insects since manufacturers treat it with borates.
This form of insulation is also known for being fast to install professionally. It also does a better job of reducing air filtration when compared with traditional batt insulation. As a result, it can help you to create a more comfortable living environment.
Blow-in insulation also yields higher R-values when compared with batt insulation, thus saving you both money and energy. The R-value essentially measures how effectively your insulation can keep heat from flowing out of and into your home.
Higher R-values mean better insulation performance. This translates to more savings when you pay your cooling and heating bills.
Yet another reason to choose blow-in insulation is that it won’t separate or settle over time, and it’ll retain its initial R-value long term.
Finally, this type of insulation doesn’t absorb moisture. As a result, it won’t support the growth of mold. This is a major health benefit for you and your loved ones.
Schedule an AC Installation
Would you like to schedule a visit with an incredible Venice AC company? Contact Bowersox Air Conditioning & Heating to speak to our team.
Schedule an appointment with us today
