If you’re installing insulation in a home, you have plenty of different options to choose from. From wool to cotton, fiberglass, hemp, and more, each type of insulation has its own pros and cons. Energy efficiency is one area that has become of particular interest to homeowners and builders alike in recent years. Energy efficiency is the use of less energy in a building to perform the same operation as buildings that consume energy inefficiently, saving money and lessening the detrimental effects of climate change.
Insulation has a massive impact on energy efficiency, more so than almost any part of a home. Therefore, choosing the right type of insulation can drastically alter the efficiency level of a new home and as a result, have a significant impact on the overall comfort of the home, money savings, and it also provides environmental, community, and health benefits.
Utilizing insulation that is high-performing will improve property value and provide an additional selling point to potential buyers, which makes choosing the right type of insulation for new homes crucial.
In case you’re mulling your options as to what type of energy efficient insulation you should choose, let’s take a look at how certain materials stack up against each other, as well as what the best overall choice is.
What Makes an Insulation Material Energy Efficient?
Technically, all insulation is energy efficient to some degree. A distinction should be made between airtightness and insulation. Insulation does not prevent conditioned air from escaping. It dampens the heat transfer between the interior and exterior. Air tightness prevents the air leakage (aka draftiness). The combination of insulation and air control leads to energy efficiency, not just one or the other. The two are not the same and should not be confused.
While spray foam is marketed as an "air barrier" for air control, and can be used as both thermal insulation and air control when installed properly, it often is not. Spray foam does not act as an air control/air barrier/airtight layer in that application. Even when installed perfectly between studs, spray foam shrinks over time, separates from the studs when the building moves (racking, expansion contraction of wood, etc.), and also can have "pinholes". All of these lead to air leakage and an increased risk of moisture related issues from mold & mildew to termites. Furthermore, removing spray foam once it is installed is very difficult and expensive when there is moisture and/or termite damage hidden behind the spray foam. See here for an extensive explanation of the downsides of spray foam insulation.
Now that we’ve answered the question of “How is insulation energy efficient?”, let's measure a few different types against each other to compare the pros and cons.
Types of Energy Efficient Materials for Home Insulation
1. Spray Foam
When properly installed in a continuous and monolithic layer such as on the exterior side of a wall or fully encapsulating studs on the interior side, spray foam can be quite airtight. However, when pursuing higher levels of energy efficiency, such as Passive House or Net Zero Energy Ready homes, spray foam may not be sufficient to meet your airtightness goals. There are two main types of spray foam, closed-cell and open-cell. Closed-cell spray foam is much more rigid when it dries and adds a bit of structural integrity to the walls of a home.
It cannot be removed easily when the flood prone home or building floods again. It traps moisture in the structural wood framing and can cause corrosion in steel framing because buildings can't dry out unless spray foam is removed. A better option for flood prone areas is to "build for deconstruction". In other words, using materials like batt insulation, vapor permeable water resistive barriers/weather barriers/air barriers and water resistant building materials that have fast drying potential and can be removed, dried out and re-used, and/or replaced easily to minimize long term moisture damage. Spray foam is a poor solution in hurricane-prone areas. It is good for attic insulation when applying on the underside of the rafters in a continuous and monolithic layer that encapsulates the framing.
Both forms perform poorly in a fire and release a lot of carcinogenic smoke when they burn. Also, spray foam has been known to "spontaneously combust" during installation when curing/hardening. The reaction that hardens and cures spray foam is exothermic, meaning it generates heat. This can start a fire if it's near other combustible materials when it is curing.
Unfortunately, while spray foam is regarded as an airtight insulation, it is prone to failure when not installed perfectly. When spray foam fails, it causes significant air leakage in the thermal envelope. Additionally, spray foam has a significant carbon footprint, and therefore should be ruled out if sustainability is a factor in your insulation buying process.
2. Fiberglass
Fiberglass is one of the most popular types of energy saving insulation materials. It’s cheap, easy to install, and resistant to both fire and moisture. The downsides of fiberglass insulation are that it’s not very eco-friendly to produce and it’s not nearly as effective as an energy saving insulation type as other materials, like hemp for instance.
3. HempWool® Insulation
Hemp is one of the most eco-friendly insulation materials available and it is incredibly effective as an insulating material. It’s easy to install and comes in batts that are easily cut to size, depending on where you need to install it. Hemp is also resistant to fungi and mold.
While PPE is always recommended when working with building materials, HempWool® insulation is safe to touch, and even smells like fresh-cut grass instead of chemicals. . This is a far cry from fiberglass, which can cause itching, rashes, and respiratory problems.
Hemp insulation has a high level of phase-shift resistance (the time it takes for internal temperatures to reach external wall temperatures). This makes it perfect for year-round protection from temperature extremes. Hempitecture HempWool® also provides more noise protection than fiberglass. The STC ratings of HempWool® are currently being evaluated against conventional insulation products.
When HempWool® is used in conjunction with spray foam insulation for sealing air leaks, polyiso roof underlayments, housewraps, radiant underfloor heating, and removable window inserts, you can create a home with a nearly impeccable level of energy efficiency and reduce the monthly energy bills down to almost nothing.
Hemp Insulation is Favored by Professionals for Many Reasons
HempWool® from Hempitecture is one of the best energy efficient home insulation materials because of its R-value, it is made from plant fibers grown in the US and manufactured in America, alongside many y other factors that put it head and shoulders above other conventional insulating materials.
If you want the best hemp insulation money can buy, call Hempitecture today to get in touch with a professional for a free quote and more information on the hottest new energy efficient insulation on the block.
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