Insulation Archives - Barrier Insulation Blog

How Much Does Radiant Barrier Cost?

Radiant barrier costs about $1,700 with average prices ranging from $740 to $2,840 in the US for 2020 according to HomeAdvisor. Radiant barrier cost per square foot is about $.52 per sq ft with average prices ranging from $.10 to $.95 per sq ft.

Radiant barrier installation for a 1,500 sq. ft. attic costs about $1,700 with average prices ranging from $740 to $2,840.

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Radiant Barrier Costs Per Square Foot

Radiant barrier cost per square foot is about $.52 per sq ft with average prices ranging from $.10 to $.95 per sq ft.

According to AngiesList, “In general, you can expect to pay between 10 and 25 cents for every square foot of material you purchase, for single-side barriers. Double-sided barriers can cost as much as 50 cents per square foot. In real numbers, a 1,500 square foot attic space can cost between $225 and $750.”

Single Sided Vs Double Sided Radiant Barrier Cost

Single Sided Randian Barrier. The average cost of single-sided radiant barrier is 15 cents per sq. ft. with average prices ranging from $.10 cents to $.25 per sq. ft. for the US in 2020. Single sided randiant barrier installation for a 1,500 sq. ft. attic costs about $1,700 with average prices ranging from $740 to $2,840.

Double Sided Randian Barrier. The average cost of double-sided radiant barrier is 33 cents per sq. ft. with average costs ranging from $.15 to $.50 per sq. ft. for the US in 2020. Double sided randiant barrier installation for a 1,500 sq. ft. attic costs about $1,700 with average prices ranging from $740 to $2,840.

Installation costs for radiant barrier average 55 cents per sq. ft. Installation costs for radiant barrier ranged from 10 cents to $1 per sq. ft per the Florida Solar Energy Center. The average installation costs to install single-sided radiant barrier as a basic project in a 1500 sq. ft. attic is $400. Prices ranged from $300 to $500. The average installation costs to install double-sided radiant barrier as a complex project in a 1500 sq. ft. attic is $1,300. Prices ranged from $600 to $2,000. generally speaking, costs of installation is usually cheaper for floor applications – the labor-intense process of attaching the radiant barrier to attic rafters is more costly.

Incidentally, if you are involved in the construction of a new home, the costs of installation are usually cheaper. A homeowner in Virginia paid an additional $500 and made his home significantly cooler by installing 5,000 sq. ft. of radiant barrier foil over the rafters before the roof was covered.

How Much Energy Does A Radiant Barrier Save?

A radiant barrier can reduce cooling costs by 5-10 percent in a warm and sunny climate according to the US Department of energy who also mention that radiant barriers are more effective in not climates than in cold climates.

According to AlternativeEnergy, “PRO Attic Radiant barrier costs $300 to $1,200 and can save you $9,000 over the next 25 years.”

HomeAdvisor says, “If homeowners upgrade to R19 insulation, they can save from $180 to $300 on heating bills.”

Radiant Barrier Tax Credit

You can get a tax credit for 10 percent of the cost up to $500! This does not include the cost of installation but it is possible to perform the installation of home sealing/insulation yourself and receive the credit per Consumer Reports.

Factors That Affect The Cost.

There are a few factors that affect the cost of installing radiant barrier insulation in your Phoenix valley home. One of the biggest factors is the size of the home. The bigger the attic and the greater the square footage, the more time and materials it will take to get the job done.

Another cost factor is which radiant barrier solution you choose. If you want to pay the difference between a spray on heat barrier or if foil insulation would work in your application affects the cost. Discuss the options with your Phoenix insulation company to get more information on which radiant barrier option works best for your home, and your budget.

Why Install Radiant Barriers?

Summer heat is one of the biggest primary concerns when discussing insulation in Arizona. Winters do cool off and near-freezing nights happen, so insulation is relevant all year long. Radiant barriers work alone or in conjunction with other insulation types to keep our attics cool. Keeping the attic cool helps reduce the heat transferred through the attic floor and into our homes. Radiant barriers help reflect heat energy before it has a chance to even make it through the roof. This means that the spray foam, rolled batt, or other insulation types don’t work as hard to keep your energy bills lower.

Types Of Radiant Barriers

There are two main categories of radiant barrier insulation, paint like coatings and radiant foil. There are different companies making paint-like coatings that act as your radiant barrier that is applied via either a spray type paint process or are applied via a brush and roller. Foil can be installed against rafters leaving a gap of air, or they can be simply laid over your traditional insulation on the floor of your attic. If the attic is used for storage choosing a system that is applied to the underside of the roof is the best call to leave your attic space free and clear.

Advantages Of Radiant Barrier Insulation

Radiant barrier insulation has the advantages of keeping homes cooler and saving energy but has some unique advantages of its own. Apart from the advantage of simply rejecting heat from entering the home at the rooftop, it has the following advantages:

It takes up less room than standard insulation types
Dried paint radiant barriers and foil are noncarcinogenic and non-toxic
Neither paint type nor foil supports the growth of fungi or bacteria
These insulators will not mold or mildew is there is a leak in your roof
They do not degrade due to the presence of moisture
They do not age and degrade with time or lose thermal efficiency

Radiant Barrier Installation in Phoenix

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If you have a home that could use better insulation and lower energy bills installing radiant barrier insulation by Barrier Insulation, Inc in your Phoenix home can greatly help reduce your energy costs leaving you more money for all of the other needs and wants you have in your life.

Best Attic Insulation Phoenix

Best Attic Insulation

If you’re looking for the best attic insulation in Phoenix we can help! Barrier Insulation offers great attic insulation valleywide in Phoenix with options such as: spray foam insulation, blown-in insulation, fiberglass batt insulation and radiant barrier insulation. We proudly serve every city in the Phoenix Valley including: Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Glendale, Gilbert, Tempe and more.

Attic Insulation Phoenix

Barrier Insulation offers the best attic insulation service in the Phoenix Valley. We offer all the different types of attic insulation to fit every demand and every budget. Insulating the attic is one of the most important areas of the home to insulate to reduce dependency on air conditioning and heating. Read more about the types of attic insulation we offer.

Blown-In Insulation
Batt Insulation
Spray Foam Insulation
Radiant Barrier Insulation

Blown-In Insulation

One of the better choices is blown in attic insulation. It is installed by techs that have a large hose and shoot the insulation into the attic. They have training to create an even, uniformly deep layer of insulation. This is done by using a large air driven machine that churns up the material into chunks and then blows them up the hose and into the attic.

For blown material you have two main choices. There is cellulose and fiberglass blown in material. Both have advantages and disadvantages. With similar R values they both insulate well and are approximately 3 -4 R per inch. Fiberglass insulation is produced primarily from old glass or sand. Cellulose blown in insulation is made from recycled newspapers.

Depending on your application blown in insulation might be your only insulator in your attic, or you might use it in conjunction with other insulators to get the best energy efficiency. Blown in attic insulation sits on the floor of your attic as an even layer and helps keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Batt Insulation

Rolled Batt Attic Insulation Batt attic insulation is pretty straight forward to install as it is rolls of material typically lined with a paper backing. They are made from interweaving fibers that are long and have adhesive qualities. This means they stick to each other and stick together as a grouping. Batt insulation is made from two source materials, cotton and fiberglass. Cotton batts are made from recycled denim jeans. Fiberglass batts are typically made from sand or recycled glass that is processed into the insulating strands and fibers.

To install the batts they must be cut to fit each and every space they will be installed in. Even with the best of intentions there are tricky spots around corners, pipes, wires, junction boxes and other areas that end up having gaps. This means there are areas that simply are not insulated as well as other insulation options.

Sprayed Insulation

Spray Foam Attic Insulation One of the most energy efficient types of attic insulation is spray foam. It comes in two types that have pros and cons. There is open and closed cell spray insulation. A larger percentage of homes were built with the HVAC and duct system in the attic of the home. This means that if your insulation is sitting on the floor of your attic, your system is having to work harder. Moving the “envelope”, or area of your home that is climate controlled, to the roofline can greatly increase your energy efficiency. Spray foam allows this envelop to be at the roofline, and helps fill in all the areas that batt insulation can struggle with.

Highly trained and skilled insulation technicians can spray the foam so there are no gaps or voids in the layer of insulation covering the attic ceiling. This means that the ducts carrying your hot and cold air to heat and cool your home are working in a more moderate climate. That translates into less energy being used to keep your home comfortable all year long.

Radiant Barrier Insulation

Radiant barrier insulation provides an additional layer of protection to keep your attic and home more comfortable, and use less air conditioning and heating. This type of insulation has the same goal of preventing heat from entering homes as traditional insulation but achieves the goal in a different way. Instead of using thick layers of foam, loose insulation, or fiberglass batts it reflects the energy and heat with highly reflective surfaces.

It can be installed as a foil backed insulation board or it can be installed by spraying a highly reflective product onto the bottom of the roof decking in the attic. Barrier insulation installs R-Max radiant barrier and HeatBloc Ultra spray radiant barrier.

The Best Attic Insulation

Clearly the best attic insulation really depends on your home and your needs. If you don’t have any ducts or HVAC system in your attic and you don’t plan to finish or use the attic space, you might consider one of the less costly insulation types. However if you have ducts in your attic and want to keep your home as energy efficient as possible using spray foam might be a more costly, but better long term investment. Having local attic insulation experts come to your home and help you develop an effective and budget friendly insulation plan for your home is the only way to get the best attic insulation for you individual needs.

Schedule Attic Insulation in the Phoenix Valley

Barrier Insulation offer Phoenix Valley residents the most effective and affordable attic insulation options. We specialize in finding each home’s best insulation solutions and offer all four of the main categories of insulation. Invest in your home’s insulation and it will help keep your more comfortable and help reduce your utility bills..

Understanding The Thermal Envelope Of Your Home

If you’re searching for “thermal envelope” you are trying to understand how to make your home as energy efficient as possible. This post will help improve your understanding the thermal envelope of your home.

Contents In This Post:

What Is Thermal Envelope?
Understanding Heat Transfer
Whole Home Efficiency
Insulation & R-Values
Air Barriers
Choosing Thermal Envelope Solutions

Making your existing home energy efficient or building you a brand new home will present plenty of challenges. You have to think about the shape and size of the building as well as how it will be cooled and heated. Ensuring that it has the right insulation by using the right type of materials with correct thermal properties will help to make the environment efficient and comfortable.

When you are sealing the home for efficiency, you need to address the envelope is important. This will be the layer that will separate the conditioned living area from the outside space. It is basically the heat flow control layer.

What Is Thermal Envelope?

When the thermal envelope is discussed, they are talking about the space where heat will rise in the home and be trapped, normally the ceiling. The attic is often considered to be outside of the thermal envelope. However, attention to insulating and sealing the space in the home could also mean big returns in coziness and value.

Understanding Heat Transfer

Picking the right type of insulation and air barrier may help to provide good returns for increasing the efficiency in your home. Understanding just how air works can help to provide you with a way to make a good choice.

During winter, we often wear hats because heat leaves the top of you. Its similar to your house. The more that you use the air barrier with a good R-zone based on the climate in your area, it will increase efficiency in your home.

It is because of this efficiency that you may find that your HVAC system doesn’t need to be large, which saves your money on your energy bills.

Whole Home Efficiency

When you are building a high efficiency home or making your home efficient, you should take several practices into consideration. You need to pay attention to buying the best insulated windows, correct size of a HVAC system, and having the right insulation – especially in the attic where heat escapes and is trapped outside of the living space. The best insulation should be the one that fits your home and has a high R value.

Insulation & R-Values

R-value is a measurement for thermal resistance. The higher that the R-value is, the higher the thermal resistance will be. Basically the higher that the R value is, the cooler or warmer your house will be.

When you use spray foam insulation you will get about a R-7 per inch. When you go up the law of returns will apply. There will be a certain point when the insulation that you add doesn’t make a difference if the air barrier isn’t properly worked.

You will be removing the unwanted air from the outside. If you look at it that way, you are going to have an efficiently sized HVAC system, since you don’t have to worry about air leakage.

Air Barriers

Insulation and air barrier shouldn’t be confused. Both are a part of becoming an efficient home. The benefits of spray foam are a way that they can be covered at the same time.

Air barriers prevents or helps to prevent unwanted air from entering your home and it prevent conditioned air from escaping your home. Spray foam insulation can do this by providing an air barrier and helping to gain thermal resistance.

Using open-cell spray foam can help to reduce or remove the noise in your structure. The attic or ceiling is a great place to start, especially if your next to an airport.

Another benefit of giving your home a thermal envelope with great insulation is to provide it with a great sound barrier. Using the same type of tools can create comfort in other ways. Sound pollution in your home can damage your well being of your family. From the sound of people talking in the next room to outside noise, the level of noise in your home matters for your comfort level.

Choosing Thermal Envelope Solutions

Deciding on the right type of home insulation will take some research, but picking the right type will become invaluable by providing you with an efficient environment for working and living. If you live in Arizona in Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Glendale, Gilbert, Tempe or elsewhere in the valley Barrier Insulation, Inc. provides insulation installation to improve your thermal envelope. We install all types of home insulation and also offer service for commercial insulation installation. For more information or to schedule an appointment please call us today!

How Long Does Insulation Last?

Electricity isn’t cheap and if you have an older home you might be wondering if your insulation is helping at all. Lots of things degrade and wear out over time which leaves homeowners asking, “How long does insulation last?” Does insulation fall apart and degrade over time? It is important to for property and homeowners to know what condition the insulation is in. This avoids unnecessarily high utility bills.

Insulation Longevity

The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors explain that most types of insulation will last up to or more than 100 years! However that longevity depends on a few factors. If the insulation has be poorly installed, compromised by water, or ruined by pests in the attic it will be less effective, or not effective at all.

Factors That Damage Insulation

Insulation only lasts for 100 years when it is in perfectly ideal conditions. Most of us know that life and accidents happen and insulation can be damaged and rendered less effective, or not effective at all. Here are some of the common issues homeowners have that ruins insulation and requires insulation removal and insulation replacement.

Water Damage

Roofs leak. They leak when they are not cared for and maintained but also when there are storms or damage from trees. If a tree loses a branch and it hits the roofing water will leak into your roof and damage your insulation. It can compress the fibers or knock the insulation out of place.

Mold

If water is left too long it will mean that it can stagnate and form mold. Molds that form in homes can lead to respiratory issues and it means that the insulation isn’t doing its job anymore. When insulation develops mildew or mold it needs to be removed and replaced. This means your home will have better air quality and insulation.

Punctured Insulation

Things that come through the roof or when work is done on the roof insulation layers can be punctured. When air can get through it means the insulation cannot do its job. This can be punctured spray foam insulation , torn paper on batts, or other types of puncture problems.

Falling Down

Insulation that is installed upside down in attics, ceilings, or crawl spaces is notorious for falling out of place. The paper backing is stapled into place, but it is common after 15 or 20 years for it to fall out of place. Depending on the condition of the insulation homeowners may be able to staple it back into place. If the paper backing is too damaged or the insulation has become wet or moldy it should be removed and replaced.

Settling

Older blown in or loose fill insulation tends to settle over time and not fill the walls or attics it was installed in. R-Value is calculated per inch. If the insulation has settled and is no longer 6 or 8 inches deep as it was when it was installed it means that it isn’t as effective. This means that sections might simply have no insulation at the top areas and heat is getting through. Newer types of loose fill insulation such as Knauf EcoFill Blowing Woold Insulation is environmentally friendly and does not settle.

Dirty Insulation

The places that insulation is installed in does not always stay clean or dust free. When excessive dust or debris settles on insulation it causes it to compress and lose effectiveness. If the loose fill insulation in your attic has layers of dust, dirt, or other debris it is reducing the thermal performance and needs to be removed and replaced.

Phoenix Valley Insulation Removal & Replacement

If your home is insulated but doesn’t feel like it during the hot Arizona summers or cooler days of winter Barrier Insulation is here to help. We offer insulation inspect, insulation removal, and installation replacement. We can retrofit homes with better insulation in the walls, attic, floors, ceilings, and crawl spaces. Our goal is always to provide insulation services that are long lasting, provide greater comfort, and help reduce utility bills.

Call Today – 602-931-0637

How Radiant Barrier Works

How Radiant Barrier Works - Barrier Insulation Inc

If you are searching for “How Radiant Barrier Works“, this post should help!

Heat journeys from a warm area to a cool area by a combination of radiation, convection, and conduction. Heat flows by conduction from a more hot location within a material or assembly to a more cold location, similarly the way a spoon placed in a hot cup of tea conducts heat from its handle to your hand.

Heat transfer by convection occurs when a liquid or gas (a good example is air) is heated it becomes less dense, and rises. As the liquid or gas cools, it becomes more dense and falls. As radiant heat travels in a straight line away from any surface, it heats anything solid that can absorb its energy.

How Radiant Barrier Works

Most conventional insulation materials work by slowing the conductive heat flow and — to a lesser degree — convective heat flow. Reflective insulation systems and radiant barriers work by reducing that radiant heat gain. To be more effective, the reflective surface must face an air space. Because some dust will accumulate on the reflective surface, it will reduce its reflective capabilities. The radiant barrier should be installed in such a way as to minimize the dust accumulation on the reflective surface.

Cuts Down Radiant Heat Transfer

When the sun heats a roof, it is primarily the sun’s radiant energy that heats the roof and makes it hot. Enough of this heat travels by conduction through the roofing materials to the attic side of the roof. The heated roof material then radiates its increased heat energy onto the cooler attic surfaces, including the air ducts and the floor of the attic. A radiant barrier cuts down the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the additional surfaces in the attic.

A radiant barrier works its most optimum when it is perpendicular to the radiant energy hitting it. Additionally, the higher the temperature difference between the sides of the radiant barrier material, the greater the benefit a radiant barrier can present.

Radiant Barrier Works Best In Hotter Climates

Radiant barriers are more effective in hotter climates (like Arizona) than in cool climates, especially when cooling air ducts are installed in the attic. Some studies show that a radiant barrier can reduce cooling costs from 5% to 10% when used in a warm and sunny climate. This reduced heat gain may even allow for a smaller a/c unit. In cooler climates, however, it is usually more practical to install more thermal insulation than to add a radiant barrier.

RADIANT BARRIERS TYPES

Radiant barriers is made up of a highly reflective material, usually aluminum foil, that may be applied to one or both sides of a number of substrate materials such as plastic films, kraft paper, oriented strand board, cardboard, and an air infiltration barrier material. Some products are fiber-reinforced to increase strength and ease of handling.

Some radiant barriers can even be combined with many types of insulation materials in reflective insulation systems. In these combinations, radiant barriers can operate as the thermal insulation’s facing material.

NEW AND EXISTING HOME RADIANT BARRIER INSTALLATION

A radiant barrier’s performance depends on proper installation, so it’s usually a good idea to use a certified radiant barrier installer. If you prefer to do the install the radiant barrier yourself, make sure you study the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, fully understand the safety precautions and check your local fire and building codes. For installation tips, you can also look toward the reflective insulation trade association.

It is much easier to incorporate radiant barriers into a newer home, but you can also install them in a pre-existing home, especially if the attic is an open one. In a new house, the installer usually drapes a rolled-foil radiant barrier foil-face down between the roof rafters to reduce dust accumulation on the reflective faces (double-faced radiant barriers are available). In most cases this is done right before the roof sheathing is installed, but can also be done afterwards from the inside by stapling the barrier to the underside of the rafters.

Installing Foil-Type Barriers

When installing foil-type barriers, it’s important to for the material to “droop” between the attachment points to make at least a 1 in (2.5 cm) gap of air space between it and the bottom of the roof. Some manufacturers even offer Foil-faced plywood or oriented strand board sheathing.

Warning About Radiant Barrier Installation

Please note that reflective foil conducts electricity, so workers and homeowners must refrain from making contact with bare electrical wiring. If the radiant barrier is installed on top of attic floor insulation, the foil will be vulnerable to dust accumulation and may trap moisture in the fiber insulation, so it is strongly recommended that you DO NOT install radiant barriers directly on top of the attic floor insulation.

Barrier Insulation Is A Radiant Barrier Contractor In Phoenix

If you live in the Phoenix valley and would like to learn more about radiant barrier insulation and enjoy lower energy bills all year long, give Barrier Insulation a call and get the process started. We can help you evaluate the condition of your current insulation, help you get your traditional insulation up to par if necessary and add a radiant barrier to help lower your energy bills. Call us today at 602-499-2922.

What is Insulation R-Value?

When people search “What Is Insulation R-Value?” it is typically a new home owner or a business owner trying to understand how to insulate their property to save on utilities. Quality insulation which is installed by professionals simply saves on heating and cooling. This translates into lowered utilities and saving money.

What Does The Term “R-Value” Mean?

R-value is a measurement of the thermal resistance of materials. An easy way to understand it is a measurement of how well heat or cold transfers through a given material, such as wood, metal, or more importantly insulation. Insulation’s entire purpose is to restrict the transfer of heat or cold from or into our homes and businesses. Quality insulation options are graded with the R-Value system and the higher the number, the better the insulation is at stopping thermal transfer.

How Do People Use R-Value?

Generally R-Value is measured at a thickness of each individual type of insulation. This can be spray foam insulation, rolled batt insulation, blow in insulation, and many others. But each of them is assigned an R-Value performance rating, usually by the inch. This means that insulation contractors and homeowners can calculate the various insulation options performance given where the area that is having insulation installed. Attic insulation can vary based on the depth of the roof rafters or floor joists from 6 to 10 inches. Choosing a higher performance R-Value for areas where there is less space helps achieve thermally efficiently homes.

What About Air Leaks?

R-Value only will not create the energy efficient homes we all want. While to the casual observer homes and commercial properties look solid and air tight. The fact is that most building and homes have cracks, gaps, and lots of air leaks. Even when there is batt insulation in a regular wood stud wall wind can find its way through these air leaks and render it meaningless. Just a 20 mile per hour wind can take a R-19 wall and through air leaks turn it into an R-6.

Air Leak Solution

For home and business owners wanting to save money by lowering their utility bills, insulation can play a major role. Spray foam insulation is one of the best options due to a couple of key points. Firstly it helps seal up the cracks and gaps in your building or home. Secondly the performance of spray foam insulation in terms of R-Value is exceptional. When you are thinking about the best option for your properties which has excellent thermal resistance and helps shore up air leaks, Spray Foam Insulation is the way to go.

Valleywide Phoenix Insulation Contractors

If you live or operate a business in the Phoenix valley Barrier Insulation, Inc. has the experience, tools, and training to help you save money through improved insulation. Our insulation contractors work on both residential and commercial projects and offer every insulation variety to better serve our customers in Arizona.

We will install the spray foam insulation, batt insulation, or blown-in insulation you need to save money and live more comfortably anywhere in the Phoenix valley. Understanding “What R-Value Is” hopefully has made you more aware of how insulation works, and what your property might need. Give us a call for a free inspection and quote to improve your insulation and save money!

Call Barrier Insulation Today at 602-499-2922.

Inspect Insulation To Save Energy

If you are searching for “Ways To Save Energy” this article is for you. One of the largest bills for a lot of people is the electricity bill, especially in the summer in hot areas of the United States like Arizona.

Topics Covered On This Page:

Inspecting Attic Insulation
Insulation Performance Chart
Checking Wall Insulation
How To Check For Air Leaks

Electricity is used to power our air conditioning units and when summer temperatures reach and stay near the 100 degree mark it takes an enormous amount of energy to keep homes and businesses comfortable. It takes even more energy when your insulation is worn out, settled, or simply was not installed in the first place. In this article we show you how to evaluate the insulation in your home and even look for air leaks that are costing you money.

Inspecting Attic Insulation

Your attic is the primary barrier between the elements and the comfort of your home. Having properly installed, sufficient insulation, that is in good condition means a big difference. In fact some studies show that the difference quality insulation makes in the cost to heat and cool homes can be as much as 40%.

How Do I Know If I Need It?

Symptoms of attics that need some attention to insulation are high cooling or heating bills, rooms that are drafty, or ceilings, walls, or entire rooms that are excessively warm or cold depending on the season.

How Do I Check?

Some of your insulation is hidden in behind sheetrock inside your walls, but the insulation in your attic is usually pretty easy to evaluate. Older types of insulation settle or breakdown over time and are no longer effective insulators.

Visual Check

One way a lot of homeowners check to see if their attic insulation is still good is to see if it has settled between the attic floor joists. If you can see a significant part of the joist sticking up out of the layer of insulation you should probably call in the pros and have your home checked out.

Measure Insulation

Another more scientific way to figure out your insulation situation is to measure the batts, loose fill, or whatever type of insulation you have. Using a measuring tape you should try to accurately measure your insulation in inches and follow the table below to get an idea of what condition your insulation is in.

Insulation Performance Chart

Measure your insulation thickness and compare the type of insulation and the measurement to figure out your R-value. For example if you have 2×8 floor joists in your attic and only have 4 inches of cellulose you can estimate that your attic’s R-value is 14.8.

What You Can See			Type of Insulation	Depth (inches)	R-Values
Batts	Light Weight – pink, yellow, or white	Fiberglass		Measurement	3.2/in
Granules	Light Weight	Vermiculite		Measurement	2.7/in
Loose Fibers	Light Weight – pink, yellow, or white	Fiberglass		Measurement	2.5/in
	Small pieces or fibers	Cellulose		Measurement	3.7/in
	Dense Material – gray or near white	Rock Wool		Measurement	2.8/in

Most home insulation experts recommend R-38 or higher, so if you have half of that number you are certainly in need of better insulation in your home.

Checking Wall Insulation

The attic and walls are the 2 primary areas of homes that should be insulated to keep your home more comfortable without relying too heavily on your HVAC system. To check the walls your first order of business is to TURN OFF YOUR POWER. You should double check using a voltage tester or volt meter that there is in fact no current coming through the power outlet that you will need to remove to see inside your exterior walls.

Once you are 100% sure there isn’t any power at the socket you remove the cover and use a flashlight to shine into the wall to see if there is insulation, and how thick it is.
If you can reach some insulation, perhaps with needle nose pliers you should remove a small portion to help identify what kind of insulation is in your walls.
Check various rooms and levels of your home, simply because one area has it is no guarantee that it is in all of the walls in your home.

Exterior walls play a large role in the thermal performance of your home in both summer and winter. Ensuring there is enough insulation and are fully filled helps ensure that your home stays cooler in summer and warmer during the winter without constantly running the AC or heat.

How To Check For Air Leaks

Even with quality insulation in the attic and walls if you have gaps and cracks in the “envelope” of your home it means that your conditioned air can escape, and outside air is getting in. Finding and sealing these air leaks will mean greater home energy efficiency and lower utility bills.

Most homes building envelope is constituted by the exterior walls, basement floor, and of course the ceiling between living spaces and the attic. You can track down air leaks with the following methods.

Crack and Gaps Visual Inspection

One of the simplest ways to find these problems areas is to look and problem areas such as the attic access hatch, registers, any piping or conduit running through the ceiling, recessed lighting boxes, or dropped soffits. Other areas you might find problems include crawl spaces, outdoor faucets, dryer vents, and vent fans in kitchens.

Shed Some Light On It

Another way to easily test if you have cracks or gaps in your envelope is to use a flashlight at night with a partner. Shine the flashlight on the areas you suspect might be a problem and if your helper outside can see the light through window or door seals; you know you have a problem. This trick also works for basements, crawlspaces, and other problem areas.

Phoenix Insulation Contractors

If you live in the Phoenix area in areas like Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, or Chandler Barrier Insulation can help you no matter how big or small the job is. We handle both residential and commercial insulation inspections, insulation removal, and upgrading insulation. We can help fix small problems or we can help you by removing old ruined insulation and install modern and highly efficient options like spray foam insulation that both insulates and helps seal air leaks.

For help with your insulation call 602-499-2922.

Overlooked Ways to Lower Your Power Bill

Are you searching the web for “Ways To Lower Your Power Bill” like most Arizona residents? When the temperatures start to go up, so do the electricity bills. Keeping your home comfortable costs more during the summer, but there are ways to help minimize that effect.

Ways To Save Energy & Money

Everyone loves saving money, especially on recurring bills. We are always looking for ‘life hacks’ that can help boost the efficiency of living our lives while lowering the cost it carries. In our search for methods to reduce our power bills many simple tactics are easily overlooked and never taken advantage of. We are going to briefly outline 3 of these tactics that can help you up the efficiency of your home while lowering the amount of money you are spending on it to keep all systems running, so to speak.

Inspect Your Home’s Insulation

Make sure that all of the insulation in your home was up to, or even exceeding standards. As time passes insulation breaks down and experiences a drop in efficiency. The speed of the deterioration depends on several things, including the climate and exposure to moisture.

Unplug Unused Electronics

Unplug appliances and devices that may leach power while on standby mode. While we are led to believe that these electronic devices and appliances turn off when we stop using them. This is rarely the case and the combination of all appliances that are ‘secretly’ consuming power adds up to needless money spent. That money can do a lot of good for you instead of just disappearing.

Get A Professional Energy Audit

Have an energy audit performed on your home by a professional. Having a trained eye assess your home will not only arm you with the information and tactics you need to increase the efficiency of your home, it will also provide you with peace of mind because you won’t wonder if you missed anything in your own untrained assessment.

Take Care Of Crawlspaces

Make sure our crawl spaces are well maintained and not left open and therefore exposed. If the openings to your crawl spaces are exposed cold air can enter in the winter and warm air in the summer. Some wonder if the answer is sealing off their crawl spaces completely from the outdoors and the answer is yes, if you do so with a crawl space encapsulation system. If you don’t have a crawl space encapsulation system, then sealing off your crawl spaces in the winter months is recommended.

Control Moisture in Crawlspaces

Make sure the moisture levels in your crawl space are at reasonable levels. This can be done by installing small moisture meters and checking them periodically. Not all crawl spaces are easily accessible and if that is the case a professional should be called in to inspect them. Ideally the moisture level within your crawl spaces should be below 50%.

Check Insulation in the Crawlspace

Check the condition of the insulation in your crawl space. Over time the buildup of moisture can cause the insulation to become saturated and, by extension, inefficient. Saturated insulation in your crawl space will cause your home to experience a definite drop in energy efficiency. Mold growth can also be a problem in crawl spaces that are overly saturated with moisture.

Invest In Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Increasing the energy efficiency of your home is never a bad thing and will almost always save you a significant amount of money over the long haul. Have your home put through an energy audit and see where you can afford to make improvements! If you would like more information or help inspecting and improving your home insulation in the Phoenix area, please contact Barrier Insulation today by calling either 602-499-2922 or .

Non Fiberglass Insulation Types

Non Fiberglass Insulation Types Phoenix

Are you searching Google for “Non Fiberglass Insulation“? If so, we put together a list of all the different types of insulation that doesn’t contain Fiberglass. Fiberglass insulation has been used for many years and is very common in Arizona homes. With advances in material sciences and understanding of how some elements affect our health many homeowners are looking for non fiberglass insulation types.

Types Of Non Fiberglass Insulation

There are 3 different types of non fiberglass insulation including:

Spray Foam Insulation
Blown In Insulation
Radiant Barrier Insulation
Cotton Insulation
Cellulose Insulation
Wool Insulation
Soy Based Insulation

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation is one of the most popular choices in house insulation in today’s market. This is because it not only insulates the house, but it creates a seal. Even the best contractors cannot create an air tight seal with joints. With this expanding foam insulator these gaps can be sealed up and your home can be dramatically more energy efficient.

Loose & Blown In Insulation

Cellulose and mineral wool are two types of loose/blown in insulation types. There is a fiberglass option in this type of insulation so home owners wanting to stay away from fiberglass insulation will want to be very specific about what type they want their contractor to put in their home.

Reflective & Radiant Barrier Insulation

In areas like Arizona radiant barrier insulations are especially effective. Many homes have their cooling ducts running through the ceilings and attic areas. In these cases keeping the attic cooler is absolutely critical in having an energy efficient home. Radiant barriers alone can reduce energy costs as much as 5-10%. Using a radiant barrier in combination with another insulation type is a great way to maximize the homes thermal efficiency and reduce energy costs year long.

Cotton Insulation

Cotton insulation is commonly made out of old jeans. You know those 90’s jeans you never wear anymore? There is a company called Bonded Logic that can take those unwanted jeans and turn them into denim insulation. Denim insulation is actually becoming very popular, being sold by stores, and comes in a variety of thicknesses.

Cullulose Insulation

Cellulose Insulation is comprised of nontoxic and recycled treated cardboard or newspaper, provides excellent insulation for your business or home, and costs less to install than cotton. When cellulose came out, it wasn’t that popular with homeowners because they feared that the cellulose would invite mold and critters into their home. Although, with advances in nontoxic chemicals, this type of insulation is better protected and is now flame resistant.

Wool Insulation

Wool insulation is mostly made out of sheep fibers. Many homeowners and business owners turn to sheep wool to keep their businesses and homes insulation. Sheep inhabit some of the most coolest climates in the world. The fibers are tightly packed to trap air and make tiny air pockets, so the insulation has the capability of releasing moisture. Also, this type of insulation is very resistant to fire to make it a safe choice to install in your home.

Soy-Based Insulation

Some people choose not to install the 3 insulation types above because they don’t fill in the tiny cracks like spray foam insulation does. Although, there is a new product that hit the market about 10 years ago called soy-based insulation. Soy-based is very similar to spray foam insulation where it fills in cracks and is sprayed on , only it uses renewable and biodegradable resources to do it.

All of these non-fiberglass insulation types may cost a little bit more than fiberglass insulation, but the savings on your cooling and heating bills make them a more affordable option to consider.

Potential Fiberglass Insulation Dangers

In recent years OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) has required a label indicating that fiberglass insulation has the potential to be carcinogenic. In addition warning labels indicate that fiberglass can cause eye, lung and skin irritation.

Fiberglass insulation comes in two main types, rolled and loose fill. That means you will find it in rolled bats in bags, or it will be loose material that is typically a layer of material insulating the floor of your attic. When this material is disturbed by working in the attic the fibers fill the air and can irritate lungs, eyes, and skin. Long sleeve shirts, goggles, and respirators are mandatory when handling fiberglass as there is a potential developing cancer from breathing the fibrous material.

Why You Should Remove Fiberglass Insulation

In addition most of the fiberglass insulation available is coated with a resin to help prevent excessive fibers from getting loose into the air. When this resin experiences heat however it can pose a health risk. The health risk is the resin outgases a varied quantity of formaldehyde. Most experts today believe that the level is high enough to warrant insulation removal and replacement. The tighter the ducts are and the higher quality of construction will help alleviate some of these concerns. However over time when houses settle gaps naturally exist and there is a potential for exposure.

For these reasons many homeowners in Phoenix are looking for non fiberglass insulation types. Below we will examine many of the great alternatives to fiberglass that are safer for your home and family.

Insulation Removal & Installation Services

If you live in or do business in Phoenix, Arizona and could benefit from our insulation removal or insulation installation services, please give Barrier Insulation a call today at 602-499-2922 to speak with a representative.

Fiberglass Insulation Removal Services

Barrier Insulation proudly serves the Phoenix valley and can help you safely remove fiberglass insulation from your home to keep you safe.

Non Fiberglass Insulation Installation

We can help you affordably install non fiberglass insulation that will keep your home energy efficient and healthy for the whole family.

Best Type of Home Insulation for Phoenix

Are you searching for the “Best Type Of Home Insulation” for Phoenix? This article covers the different options that work best in the Valley of the Sun. Manufacturers of insulation all have job to do and a product to sell. This means that you’re going to hear a lot of voices telling you which is the superior insulation type.

It’s an important question to think about when considering the energy efficiency of your home. Especially with rising energy costs and the intense summers we experience here in Phoenix. What’s needed to cut through all the chatter on the subject is unbiased examination of the different types of insulation.

In This Article:

Home Insulation Research & Development
Spray Foam As The Simple Solution
Closed-Cell Spray Foam Insulation
Open-Cell Spray Foam Insulation
Knowledgeable Home Insulation Consumer
Phoenix Home Insulation Installers

Home Insulation Research & Development

Building scientists have spent over 30 years studying how homes use and lose energy. They’ve constructed enormous chambers to enclose walls and model homes so they could study the effects of heat, cold and wind. Their research has delivered results that will save home owners hundreds of dollars on their energy costs year in and year out.

A fact of home ownership and the settling and aging of a home is that inevitably there will be holes, gaps and cracks. These weak spots mean that our air conditioned and heated air is spilling right out and costing us money. The US Dept of Energy found that the average home wastes over 30% of its conditioned air through these gaps and cracks. In fact on a colder wintry day these effects are more apparent with the drafts blowing through our homes.

Clearly it’s more than simply R values that are going to solve the problem of these gaps and cracks wasting our hard earned money. If air leaking out is the problem it makes sense that the best way to insulate your home is to create an air tight seal. With strips of fiberglass insulation or panels clearly it’s not going to provide this air tight seal that we are looking for to achieve the best possible performance, and the best possible savings.

Spray Foam as the simple solution to a complex problem

Best Type of Home Insulation for Phoenix AZ Using a hose a machine distributes a combination of chemicals which mix together at the tip of the hose creating a paint like thick goo that sticks to everything it touches. So those wires, ducts, pipes and uneven surfaces are effectively coated and sealed up air tight.

The foam begins to expand within seconds, trapping billions of tiny bubbles of gas. It forms a uniformly even layer of insulation as it expands and ensures an air tight seal. Precisely what insulation is meant to do, wouldn’t you agree?

Spray Foam Insulation Comes in Two Forms, Open and Close cell

Before choosing an option for your spray foam insulation it’s best to evaluate your requirements because the types have different applications and characteristics.

Closed-Cell Spray Foam Insulation

Closed Cell Spray Foam Insulation Phoenix AZ The characteristic of closed-cell spray foam is that the cells or bubbles are tightly packed together and closed. This means that closed-cell is stronger an much more dense than open-cell foam. It will not allow air or water to pass through it. This is due to the fact that the bubbles are much smaller because they are filled with a gas making them a better insulator as well. In fact closed-cell insulation tops the charts with an astounding R-7 per inch! Closed-cell spray foam is the option for the uncompromising home owner that demands the best performance from where they invest their hard earned money.

Open-Cell Spray Foam Insulation

Open Cell Spray Foam Insulation Phoenix AZ A more affordable option for home owners is open-cell spray foam insulation. Its name is derived from the fact that the bubbles or cells never completely close. During expansion air gets trapped between the broken bubbles. This characteristic of open-cell spray foam means that as heat tries to pass through the foam its slowed down by billions of tiny air pockets. Because of this difference is structure it’s much softer than closed-cell spray foam. The difference in the formation of the open-cell foam means that water can pass through them, which can be a bad or good thing depending on the application. Open-cell foam rates at half the R value efficiency as its close foam competitor.

Knowledgeable Home Insulation Consumers

It’s critical to understand the differences between the spray foam variants. If you’re having a new home built or an existing structure improved you should be aware of the type of spray foam your contractor is recommending, or bidding for you. The reason being is that open-cell foam is much less expensive, but as we have discussed it’s also less effective as an insulator. Just be aware of this difference when taking in bids and make sure that you’re getting competitive bids for the same type of service.

One solution to get the benefits of both worlds is to combined both types of foam in your home. A thinner than normal coating of closed-cell to start, which seals the gaps, holes and cracks and then a second coat with the open-cell to get your that excellent performance of the spray foam insulation. This means that clients with a limited budget can still get the benefits of both without the cost of going with a full closed-cell cost.

Phoenix Home Insulation Installers

The experts at Barrier Insulation can help you make the best decision for your home and your budget. No matter your budget we can help you find an affordable solution that will make your home more comfortable and more energy efficient.

If you’ve got a few questions or would like to get started on saving money on your energy costs give a call at 602-499-2922 or submit a request with our Contact Form.

Phoenix Home Insulation Types