Insulation is a material that is used to slow down or reduce the flow of energy.Insulation reduces unwanted heat loss or gain and can decrease the energy demands of your heating and cooling system. Insulation is made from many different materials. Cellulose, rock wool, polystyrene, urethane foam, vermiculite, wood fiber, plant fiber, plant straw, animal fiber, and even earth (soil). The substances used to produce insulating materials are poor conductors of heat and electricity. Materials like fiberglass, rock wool and slag wool are widely used by the insulation industry. A large variety of materials may be used to make the insulators. These include organic, inorganic, rigid, soft, fibrous or granular materials.
The effectiveness of insulation is commonly evaluated by its R-Value. How much insulation a house should have depends on building design, climate, energy costs, budget, and personal preference. Regional climates make for different requirements.Your local building codes will specify only the bare minimum; insulating beyond what code requires is often recommended.
The insulation strategy of a building needs to be based on a the mode of energy transfer and the direction and intensity in which it moves. This may alter throughout the day and from season to season. Basically, you should watch the way the sun moves throughout the sky, and the sunlight hits your roof. If the sun rises and falls directly above your roof, you may require more insulation than if it were angled either towards the front of your house or the rear. Also, it is important to check the suns direction and travel pattern during the different seasons. Since the angle of the earth changes from season to season, the sun's orbit throughout the sky will change.
To determine whether you should add insulation, you first need to find out how much insulation you already have in your home and where. A qualified home energy auditor will include an insulation check as a routine part of a whole house energy audit. If you live in a cold climate, it is important to remember a few factors. In cold conditions, the main aim is to reduce heat flow out of your home. You should check every place possible for heat to get out, and ensure proper insulation. Check all windows, doors, roofs, walls, and even your electrical outlets, as these are all important sources of heat loss.
"Design is not making beauty, beauty emerges from selection, affinities, integration, love."
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