Category: Home Insulation

Homeowners less acquainted with the world of insulation might believe fiberglass batts and rolls are the only option. Little do they know, alternatives such as spray foam and mineral wool have greater insulation properties. A contractor in Northern California will introduce you to options that are best for your home, but for now, here’s what you need to know about the types of home insulation.

Rigid panels

Rigid panels are constructed with dense foam that’s cut to fit in between stud cavities, floor joists and rafters. The panels can have an R-value up to 6.5 and are one of the most effective insulation materials on the market. They’re also much more resistant to moisture than other materials, which makes them a good option for attics.

Foam boards are sometimes covered with a reflective barrier like aluminum foil to provide additional insulation. Unlike fibrous materials, foil deflects heat from the sun and is especially useful during Northern California summers. Reflective barriers work best in the attic.

Loose fill

This insulation method involves attaching a hose to a condensed bag of material and blowing it into a closed space. Loose-fill insulation is available in a variety of materials, which includes cheap and eco-friendly options. Unlike batts and rigid panels, loose-fill insulation has a tricky installation process and is best left to the professionals.

Though fiberglass is cheapest, consider insulating your attic with loose-fill cellulose. It has a higher R-value than fiberglass and is made from recycled paper products. Cellulose won’t mat down like fiberglass when it gets wet, and it can release moisture back into the air.

Batts and rolls

Batts and rolls are the easiest to install on your own and widely available in hardware stores across Northern California. They’re great for any room of the house that still has exposed stud cavities in the walls. All you have to do is cut the batting to size and adhere it to the wooden frame. Remember to put on gloves before handling fiberglass batts and rolls.

If you have a larger budget, go with mineral wool batts. Mineral wool is denser, which means it’s less prone to retaining water and losing its insulating properties. The batts and rolls have a higher R-value than fiberglass and will make your home more energy efficient.

Spray foam

Spray foam is one of the most important types of home insulation that you need to know about. It’s the perfect solution for sealing tiny gaps and works great alongside insulation that’s already in place. Closed-cell foam is super effective, yet costly, because its R-value of 6.2 is hard to beat. A professional can spray entire walls with closed-cell foam, but only if you’re prepared to shell out thousands more on top of the average installation price.

The types of insulation mentioned above are just a starting point. There are many other materials to choose from, each with their unique benefits and drawbacks. All the options can get overwhelming, but a knowledgeable expert from Ace Insulation Inc. can help you make an informed decision. Send us a quick message to get started!

Experienced home builders know the importance of installing quality insulation throughout a newly-built house. Properly installed insulation can reduce energy costs for the homeowner and ensure comfort throughout the year. There are a ton of different insulation options for homes in Northern California, some of which are better than others.

If you’re choosing which insulation is right for a new home, here are a few important things you should consider before buying.

• Maximize budget: In the insulation industry, the R-value is how a manufacturer measures how well a type of insulation reduces heat flow. The higher an insulation’s R-value, the better. However, products with a higher R-value tend to be more expensive. Talk to your client about their budget for insulation and find a product that can maximize their budget while still ensuring their home is comfortable and energy efficient.
• Minimize air leaks: Choosing insulation for home builders in Northern California is just the start of ensuring a home is adequately insulated. You also have to make sure it’s installed correctly! Unless you’re using spray foam insulation—which expands to fill every gap—you’ll want to seal all the insulation in walls and floors with caulk or house wrap. This practice will help ensure that air doesn’t slip through the cracks, making the home uncomfortable.
• Consider product settling: Loose-fill fiberglass and mineral wool insulation will both settle once they’re installed. Over time, this could mean they’re less-effective insulators than batts or spray foam insulation, neither of which settles. Talk to an insulation contractor about properly installing insulation to minimize any movement after the insulation is installed.
• Research UV stability: The sun’s ultraviolet rays don’t just give us sunburns when we’re outside—they can also affect a home’s insulation. Spray foam insulation could shrink due to UV rays and extreme summer temperatures. As you can imagine, any insulation shrinkage lowers its effectiveness. Although you should keep this in mind while choosing insulation for home builders in Northern California, don’t let the possibility of shrinkage alone deter you from picking spray foam insulation.
• Acoustic control: Insulation can also play a big factor in blocking external noises from disturbing residents in their own homes. If the property is near a busy street or located in an area that might be loud, consider spray foam insulation. Spray foam is a highly effective sound barrier and can block out even the loudest noises. Just make sure it’s installed properly for the best results.
• Moisture and mold: Mold and mildew growing and feeding on insulation is a big concern for a lot of homeowners. Spray foam insulation can help prevent against this. Since spray foam is made of an inert polymer, it can deter mold and mildew, even if it gets wet.

Don’t purchase your insulation from anyone but Ace Insulation, Inc. No other company in the area has a larger selection of insulation options for homes in Northern California than we do! Whether you’re a home builder constructing a new subdivision or a homeowner adding some extra insulation to your attic, we have just the product you need.

You don’t have to be a master builder to understand the enormous benefits of high-functioning insulation for warm weather in Northern California. When your home’s insulation is lacking, you’ll see several drawbacks. First, your comfort suffers because your home is incapable of regulating the temperature. Second, your bank account gets hit because you find yourself spending more money each month to keep yourself and your family comfortable.

Of course, to get the most of your insulation, you have to install the right kind of material. Read on to find out what type of insulation suits your needs!

Loose-fill insulation

Depending on the size of your home, regulating the temperature could prove challenging. For example, if you have attic space that you don’t use, you might be losing an enormous amount of heat through your roof. Fortunately, there’s loose-fill insulation. This low-cost way to insulate your unused space could save you tons of cash over the course of the year.

Spray foam

Spray foam is one of the most reliable options when you’re searching for climate control insulation in Northern California. This popular material is excellent for both temperature regulation and noise reduction. One of the most appealing reasons to pick spray foam insulation is its cost effectiveness. Not only is spray foam insulation affordable to install, but it will also save you money on your energy bills for years to come.

Radiant barrier insulation

Another alternative for attic insulation is radiant barrier insulation. Radiant barrier insulation is an inexpensive option that redirects the heat that might otherwise escape your home through the roof. In addition to being affordable, radiant barrier insulation is also highly customizable.

K13 insulation

When you require a highly customizable form of insulation, you need revolutionary K13 insulation. A talented contractor can tailor K13 to meet nearly any insulation requirements, whether those needs are durability, texture or even visual aesthetic. K13 is especially helpful for commercial and industrial environments that may have specific requirements for noise reduction and condensation control.

Fiberglass batt insulation

Every year it seems that the wilds of Northern California become a hot spot for fire hazards. That’s when homeowners and business owners will be thankful for fiberglass batt insulation. This material has the ability to rebuff an advancing fire. It doesn’t melt or produce smoke, and therefore is ideal for a wide variety of applications.

Trust in a professional team

As you can see, there is an almost overwhelming number of strategies and options for handling insulation for warm weather in Northern California. That’s why it’s critical to make sure you’re working with a team you can count on. In our corner of California and Northwestern Nevada, that means calling Ace Insulation Inc.

We have years of combined experience installing insulation for residential and commercial customers alike. One call to our team and we’ll rush to your side, pinpoint your needs and then work alongside you to install the perfect insulation. Visit us online or give us a call today. We can’t wait to hear from you.

If you’re preparing to renovate your home, you should give some consideration to the kind of insulation you currently have and whether you might benefit from upgrading it. Firestopping insulation is one kind of insulation that can be a good investment, especially for certain kinds of properties (primarily commercial and industrial).

Firestopping insulation in Northern California is specifically designed to prevent the spread of fires. Even in extreme heat, the material is capable of resisting that heat and will not melt. It also doesn’t produce smoke, which is extremely helpful if a fire begins. The lack of toxic smoke makes for improved fire safety.

Many commercial and industrial buildings, especially those with kitchens or manufacturing operations or other high-heat applications, use this kind of insulation as a sort of insurance policy to protect their property while also benefiting from its outstanding R-value and lowering their heating and cooling bills.

Additional major benefits of this kind of insulation include its light weight and semi-rigidity. It is made out of a stone wool, and is designed to offer benefits beyond just firestopping—it also has major acoustical benefits, reducing the amount of noise you can hear from outdoors or other rooms. It easily fits perimeter gaps between flooring, floor and ceiling concrete slabs, exterior walls and firewalls, and you’re also able to install it around duct opens or conduit pipes that run through walls and floors.

Clearing up common firestopping insulation myths

Because this kind of insulation isn’t as common as some of the types of home insulation used in residential settings in Northern California, there are understandably some prevalent misconceptions surrounding it. Let’s clear up just a few examples of some of these misconceptions that you may have heard while investigating your potential insulation options for your building:

• MYTH—Polyurethane foam will stop fires: Not all insulation materials are designed to be firestopping—the firestopping property can only be verified with testing from an independent third-party agency, so you must look for the proper certifications when purchasing your insulation. Polyurethane foam is one example of an insulation material that is absolutely not firestopping—in fact, it will perform horribly as a barrier against fire. That doesn’t mean there are no benefits to polyurethane foam—all it means is you should know it will not add any fire protection if you do decide to use it.
• MYTH—Pipe insulation firestopping properties are always the same: There are various kinds of pipe insulation materials, so you cannot expect them all to perform in exactly the same way. There are some non-combustible pipe insulation materials like mineral wool that are good for fire resistance, but other types of materials can provide little resistance to fire.
• MYTH—All caulks and sealants must be red: There is a common misconception that firestopping caulks and sealants are required to have a red color so they can be easily identified, but there are actually no code requirements that state this. You’ll find firestopping caulks and sealants in many different colors.

For more information about firestopping insulation and home insulation in Northern California, contact Ace Insulation Inc. today.

Adding or upgrading your home insulation in Northern California is one of the best ways you can take control of the interior temperatures of your home and cut down on the amount of energy you have to spend on heating and cooling.

Let’s take a closer look at insulation and how it works.

Insulation helps you maintain consistent temperatures

Insulation is material that gets installed in your walls, ceiling and floor to serve as a barrier between your home and the outdoors. It makes it easier for your home to stay cool during the summer and warm in winter. Insulation in the roof and ceiling is especially important, as that’s where most heat transfer and energy loss occurs, so having proper, high-quality insulation is crucial to lowering your energy bills.

While insulation is best installed while building a home or renovating, you can take on a basic insulation upgrade job at just about any time. Doing so will help you maintain consistent temperatures, cut down on the amount of energy you expend on heating and cooling (thus reducing your heating and cooling bills each month) and ultimately make your home much more comfortable for everyone in it.

The ability to cut energy expenditures doesn’t just reduce the amount of money you spend on your utility bills—it also helps you protect the environment. By using less energy, you will cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, lowering your carbon footprint.

Types of insulation

There are several types of insulation you can purchase. When looking for new insulation, the primary factor you’ll want to consider is its R-value, which measures its ability to resist heat leaking in or out. The higher the R-value, the better the protection. The amount of insulation you need will depend on your climate and home—areas with wider temperature swings will benefit greatly from a higher R-value:

• Blanket batts and rolls: This type of insulation is typically made out of fiberglass, though you can also find wool, cotton and plastic fiber versions. This is an inexpensive type of insulation that can be easily installed by a homeowner, and will be designed to fit between wall studs, rafters and floor joists. Always wear protective clothing and masks while working with batts and rolls.
• Spray foam: Spray foam insulation fills up any gaps inside existing walls. You spray it into the wall cavity, and then it expands and hardens into a foam. When you use closed-cell foam, this will give you outstanding R-value, but will be more expensive.
• Blown-in: Blown-in insulation is a paper-like material that gets blown in using a machine. It will conform to fit just about any type of location.
• Foam board: Foam boards and panels are ideal for insulating floors or low-slope roofs without vents. This type of foam is generally a polyurethane or polystyrene material. It’s frequently used for foundation and basement walls as well.

For more information about the various types of insulation and how upgrading your home insulation in Northern California can make a big difference in your comfort, energy costs and utility expenses, contact Ace Insulation Inc. today.