Comments on: Energy Efficient Insulation Options

By: NJ Cellulose Insulation Contractor

NJ Cellulose Insulation Contractor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:21:06 +0000

Cellulose is the preferred product for insulating wall cavities of existing homes. When installed with the dense-pack method, settling in wall cavities is negligible and air flow in wall cavities is reduced significantly. It performs very close to its stated R value unlike fiberglass’s performance which is affected greatly by the precise fit of the batts in their cavity.

Cellulose insulation is also great for loose fill or open-blown attic applications. When installed at proper depth it creates a continuous blanket of insulation which eliminates loss resulting from the poor R value of timber framing members (thermal bridging).

Noise reduction is also done well with cellulose, achieved in three ways. The first is that cellulose completely fills cavities leaving few air pockets for sound to travel in. The second is the cellulose materials ability to trap air. The significant difference between noise reduction with cellulose and fiberglass is its density. Cellulose is approximately three times denser then fiberglass. This helps deaden the sound through walls and between floor levels.

By: Energy Efficient Insulation Options |

Energy Efficient Insulation Options | — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:15:37 +0000

[...] Source: http://www.100khouse.com [...]

By: A.K.

A.K. — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 02:03:27 +0000

Chad,
I know strawbale is probably a highly marketable business for a contractor, but what is your opinion of this type of home construction for the owner/builder? Is it feasible to expect a fairly tight house? I was thinking of using Agriboard or some other SIP company for the roof structure.

By: rick babtiste

rick babtiste — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:30:50 +0000

Excellent post on home insulation options. selecting right insulation for your home can be tricky, especially when you're doing the job yourself. A great resource that I have found is McGraw Hill. I work for them and can vouch that their database is the best out there. You can view product and manufacturer details, images, descriptions, and even download CAD details directly. If you want to know more about your insulation options, I would highly suggest checking it out here. insulation

By: Chad Ludeman

Chad Ludeman — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:14:09 +0000

I’d highly recommend blown-in cellulose made from recycled newspapers that fits the requirements you stated. You can buy it at Home Depot and they will even throw in the blower for free if you want to do it yourself.

By: Faith

Faith — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:38:30 +0000

Hi, I’m living in a 100 year old house in Colorado. I’ve been doing a winter-prep checklist, and discovered that the attic of this single-story home has no insulation *at all*… well, it’s October, so I’ve got to get on this quickly. The energy company we have here, Excel, said the bill for this 1000 sq ft home is well over $200 in the winter months, which I find impossible… except for the fact that the attic’s probably the #1 culprit. As I’m on an extremely tight budget, I’m wondering what you all would recommend. My 2 factors are: affordability and doesn’t off-gas (I think that’s the term?)… basically I don’t want something that’s leaking chemicals into the air.

By: Keeping Up and Catching Up — 100K House Blog

Keeping Up and Catching Up — 100K House Blog — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:02:29 +0000

[...] See the decision making process enacted in regards to insulation. [...]

By: chad

chad — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:26:57 +0000

Frank – http://www.sips.org is going to be your best reference. They have lists of suppliers based on location.

It depends on what type of SIP you are using and how thick it is. For quick calcs though, you can use about $5psf for the wall panels.

I thought you had to use steel framing in NYC? There are SIP options out there that use steel framing if so…

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:19:02 +0000

I am planning to build my house in NYC area.
I’m wondering what is the price range to use SIP for 3,600 SF exterior envelope. Or where can I find the most affordable SIP supplier? I am a general contractor, my crew could install it with supervision.

By: nick

nick — Sat, 24 May 2008 17:19:35 +0000

The recycled denim insulation has no VOCs, almost double the soundproofing, is resistant to mold and pests because of the borate-based fire retardent, and does not cost near that of the icynene foam. Check out a product outreach video at http://www.deniminsulation.net/video.html