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Building Insulation Choices Described InspectAPedia®  -     Properties of various building insulation materials: fiberglass insulation, expanded polystyrene insulation, foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulation, and extruded polystyrene. Solar Age Magazine Articles on Renewable Energy, Energy Savings, Construction Practices

This article discusses the properties of various building insulation materials: fiberglass insulation, expanded polystyrene insulation, foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulation, and extruded polystyrene. Table of insulation properties at page top and accompanying text are reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss.

For a complete listing of types of building insulation, their properties, and how to identify or use them, see INSULATION & VENTILATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT. Readers should also see INSULATION R-Values & Properties for an extensive table describing the properties of different insulating materials used in buildings.

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Building insulation properties of fiberglass insulation, expanded polystyrene insulation, foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulation, and extruded polystyrene

"Insulation Options, a few facts to help you choose among foams and fibers" - links to the original article in PDF form immediately below are followed by an expanded/updated online version of this article.

• Insulation_Options - PDF form, use your browser's back button to return to this page
• Insulation_Options - PDF form, part 2

This article explains the insulating properties and relative costs of common building insulating materials including fiberglass insulation, expanded polystyrene insulation, foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulation, and extruded polystyrene. The insulation figure of merit, "cost of insulation per square foot R-value, is explained as a means of comparing insulating materials. While the insulation cost data in the original article dates back to November 1983, the concept of using an R-value normalized cost to evaluate insulation is useful today.

For superinsulated buildings the article concludes that a double-stud wall with fiberglass batts provided the greatest insulating value per dollar. However other insulating products may be a better choice depending on other construction details and space limitations.

Our photograph (left) shows an insulation retrofit in a crawl space where icynene foam spray was applied to the crawl space wall and between the floor joists overhead.

The article also discusses the question of air permeability of fiberglass insulation and its impact on the actual insulating value of the material compared with impermeable (to air) foam insulation products. The impact of moisture on the R-value of fiberglass insulation is also discussed (it's low). Fiberglass both gains and loses moisture more rapidly than some other insulating products.

Foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulation such as the Thermax® and Hi-R® brands are discussed - these products give the highest R-value per inch among insulating materials. Also, as we tested in the 1970's, the use of these products combined with a 3/4" air space permits achieving an additional R 2.7 provided that the foil is clean and the gap or air space is uniform.

See POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION for details about polyisocyanurate insulation use.

The polystyrene family of insulations are discussed and are recommended particularly for insulation below grade using expanded polystyrene (EPS or beadboard) and extruded polystyrene (such as Styrofoam or Foamular).

The article pointed out that in the 1980's there were more than 150 different manufacturers of EPS/beadboard and only three or four of extruded polystyrene. Claims (perhaps by competitors) that EPS absorbs water are dismissed as nonsense - the material is used to float docks. The article also discusses the use of polystyrene insulation as a non-structural building sheathing (permitting insulating over building band joists and headers) and as an added control of air infiltration.

Problems reported with use of polystyrene as non-structural sheathing where horizontal wood siding is installed included loose clapboards, cupping or cracked clapboards, and nail pulling due to thermal movement of the foam. The article concludes:

The wood problems are attributed to the tendency of these relatively impervious insulations to aggravate thermal and moisture cycling in the siding, since they soak up little heat and moisture themselves. One solution may be to strap out the siding, though this reduces the savings obtained by eliminating the sheathing in the first place.

See POLYSTYRENE FOAM INSULATION for details about polystyrene foam board insulation use.

Here we include solar energy, solar heating, solar hot water, and related building energy efficiency improvement articles reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss.

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INSULATION & VENTILATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT
AIR BYPASS LEAKS
AIR SEALING STRATEGIES
ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS
ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & ATTIC MOLD
BATHROOM VENTILATION
BASEMENT LEAKS Moisture or Mold
BASEMENT HEAT LOSS
BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION
BRICK LINED WALLS
BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION?
CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION
CRAWL SPACES
DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS
DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS
ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
FIBERGLASS INSULATION
FIBERGLASS HAZARDS
FIBERGLASS MOLD
FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION
FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES
FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING
HEAT LOSS CALCULATIONS
HEAT LOSS in BUILDINGS
HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS
HEAT LOSS INDICATORS
  BASEMENT HEAT LOSS
HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION
HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
HOUSEWRAP - TYVEK INSTALLATION DETAILS
HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET
ICE DAM PREVENTION
INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS
INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS
INSULATION & VENTILATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT
Insulation Material Identification Guide
  Asbestos Identification in Buildings
  Asbestos Pipe Insulation
  Asbestos-Free Insulation Materials
  Balsam Wool Batt Insulation
  Cotton Insulating Batts
  Cellulose loose fill insulation
  Concrete insulation, light-weight
  Fiberglass Insulation
  Foam Board Insulation
  Homasote & Other Insulating Board
  Icynene Foam Spray Insulation
  Insects & Foam Insulation
  Mineral Wool - Rock Wool Insulation
  Mold in Fiberglass Insulation
  Mold in Foam Insulation
  Paper Duct Insulation
  Perlite Insulation
  POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION
  POLYSTYRENE FOAM INSULATION
  RADIANT BARRIERS
  RIGID FOAM USE INDOORS
  Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI
  URETHANE FOAM Deterioration, Outgassing
  Vermiculite Insulation
INSULATION CHOICES
INSULATION FACT SHEET- DOE
INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENTS
INSULATION LOCATION for CAPES, CRAWLSPACES
INSULATION for GREENHOUSE or SOLARIUM
INSULATION MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
INSULATION MOLD
ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES
ROT, TIMBER FRAME
INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENTS
INSULATION LOCATION for CAPES, CRAWLSPACES
INSULATION for GREENHOUSE or SOLARIUM
INSULATION MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
INSULATION R-Values & Properties
Insulation Values of Log Home Walls
INTERIORS of BUILDINGS
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS
Mold Growth Resistance of Foam Insulation
MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS
ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE
RADIANT BARRIERS
ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES
  TERMITE SHIELDS vs TERMITICIDE
ROT, TIMBER FRAME
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS
STAIN DIAGNOSIS
THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS
THERMAL MASS in UPSTAIRS
THERMAL TRACKING & HEAT LOSS
VAPOR BARRIERS & AIR SEALING at BAND JOISTS
VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS
VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP
VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING
VENTILATION in BUILDINGS
WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS
WINTERIZE A BUILDING

• Solar Age Magazine was the official publication of the American Solar Energy Society. The contemporary solar energy magazine associated with the Society is Solar Today. "Established in 1954, the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation's leading association of solar professionals & advocates. Our mission is to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. We advance education, research and policy. Leading for more than 50 years. ASES leads national efforts to increase the use of solar energy, energy efficiency and other sustainable technologies in the U.S. We publish the award-winning SOLAR TODAY magazine, organize and present the ASES National Solar Conference and lead the ASES National Solar Tour – the largest grassroots solar event in the world."
  
• Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
  Excerpts with updates and annotations expanding the original Best Practices Guide text can be found in the online review and book summary at BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE and also at DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION, at INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE, and in other articles found at InspectAPedia.com such as HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS, SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS, and other topics.
• Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
• Passive Solar Design Handbook Volume I, the Passive Solar Handbook Introduction to Passive Solar Concepts, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v1.pdf
• Passive Solar Design Handbook Volume II, the Passive Solar Handbook Comprehensive Planning Guide, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v2.pdf [This is a large PDF file that can take a while to load]
• Passive Solar Handbook Volume III, the Passive Solar Handbook Programming Guide, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v3.pdf
• The Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook, Steven Winter Associates (Author), Michael J. Crosbie (Editor), Wiley & Sons, ISBN 978-047118382 or 0471183083 is available at Amazon.com and via the The Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook, Steven Winter Associates (Author), Michael J. Crosbie (Editor), Wiley & Sons, ISBN 978-047118382 or 0471183083 is available at Amazon.com and via the InspectAPedia Bookstore
• "Passive Solar Home Design", U.S. Department of Energy, describes using a home's windows, walls, and floors to collect and store solar energy for winter heating and also rejecting solar heat in warm weather.
• "Solar Water Heaters", U.S. Department of Energy article on solar domestic water heaters to generate domestic hot water in buildings, explains how solar water heaters work. Solar heat for swimming pools is also discussed.
• "Heat Exchangers for Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE describes the types of solar water heater heat exchange methods between the sun and the building's hot water supply
• "Heat-Transfer Fluids for Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE, describes the types of fluids selected to transfer heat between the solar collector and the hot water in storage tanks in a building. These include air, water, water with glycol antifreeze mixtures (needed when using solar hot water systems in freezing climates), hydrocarbon oils, and refrigerants or silicones for heat transfer.
• "Solar Water Heating System Maintenance and Repair", U.S. DOE
• "Solar Water Heating System Freeze Protection", U.S. DOE,using antifreeze mixture in solar water heaters (or other freeze-resistant heat transfer fluids), as well as piping to permit draining the solar collector and piping system.
• "Scaling and Corrosion in Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE
• www.energysavers.gov/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=12850 is the base U.S. DOE website for these articles
• "Active Solar Heating Systems", U.S. Department of Energy, including
• "Radiant Heating Systems" U.S. DOE
• "Absorption Heat Pumps & Coolers", U.S. DOE
• "Solar Air Heating" U.S. DOE also referred to as "Ventilation Preheating" in which solar systems use air for absorbing and transferring solar energy or heat to a building
• "Solar Liquid Heating" U.S. DOE, systems using liquid (typically water) in flat plate solar collectors to collect solar energy in the form of heat for transfer into a building for space heating or hot water heating. The term "solar liquid" is used for accuracy, rather than "solar water" because the water may contain an antifreeze or other chemicals.

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