FAQ

Most homeowners don’t give much thought to what is behind their walls or up their attic. Proper insulation is key importance when it comes to having a comfortable, healthy home. Apart from keeping your home warm during winter and cool during summer, insulation will significantly help homeowners in Ontario save on energy bills, prevent the growth of mold and also act as soundproofing.

Is your home under insulated? Well, performing a simple insulation inspection can help you determine your home’s insulation needs. Having the right amount of attic insulation will help maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the home and help save money on your energy bills, while also preventing significant issues such as ice dams during winter.

How much insulation should be installed in homes in Ontario? Homeowners in Ontario need insulation with an R-value of R-50 or R-60 that needs to be installed 16-18-inches deep on standard joists. For the average homeowner, it is essential to understand the basics of R-Values. Regardless of the particular product, you decide to use; insulation material performs differently in an assembly of concrete, wood or steel. As such, R-Values will also vary. It is therefore important to consult a professional insulation company before embarking on an insulation project.

Cellulose insulation is perhaps the best form of attic insulation material. This material can be installed in either loose-fill or blown-in form and can be used on both existing and new homes. Cellulose insulation is best used in enclosed or existing walls, unfinished attic floors, and open new walls. The cellulose insulation material is manufactured by many companies and is made from recycled newspaper.

Cellulose insulation is dense, thick and clumpy, with a consistency like that of feathers. This insulation material has the capability of conforming around obstructions such as wires and ducts that are found in attics and walls.

Cellulose Installation

Cellulose can be installed in both old and new home attics. It can be blown as loose fill insulation in attic cavities, dense-packed into walls and floors or wet sprayed in case of new constructions, which helps increase heat retention and has the potential to act as soundproofing.

There are plenty of attic insulation materials available in the market today. Most of these materials have been around for quite some time, and each of them has their ups and downs. Therefore, when looking for an attic insulation material for your home, it’s important that every homeowner is aware of which material would work best in their situation.

While, fiberglass, cellulose and natural fibers are the most common insulation products available, there are newer products homeowners could use for their attic insulation project.  The following are new attic insulation products are worth considering.

Polystyrene

It is a waterproof thermoplastic foam that is an excellent sound and temperature insulation material. This material comes in two different types EPS (expanded) and XEPS (extruded) that is also known as Styrofoam. It’s important to note that both EPS and XEPS differ in performance and cost. XEPS has an R-value of R-5.5, while EPS has an R-value of R-4

Polyurethane Foam

It’s not the most common type of insulation product. However, Polyurethane is an excellent form of insulation. Polyurethane today uses CFC (non-chlorofluorocarbon) as a blowing agent. This in effect helps to decrease the amount of damage to the ozone layer. They are light and weigh about two pounds per cubic feet. They have an R-Value of R-6.3 per inch of thickness.

Insulating your attic is very important when it comes to saving on energy bills and keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. By keeping your attic properly insulated, you can cut down on your energy bills by up to 50%. What most homeowners fail to do is check when they need to have their attic insulation replaced. Insulating your attic will not only help reduce your energy bills but also help prevent some harmful situations.

Your insulation works by keeping warm air out in summers and keeping warm air in during winters. When your home becomes too warm quickly during summer or cold quickly during winter, it’s a good sign that your attic insulation needs to be replaced. Replacing old insulation will help your home become more energy efficient saving you a fortune in energy bills. Replacing your insulation also helps increase the resale value of your home especially if you intend to sell your home at some point.

In case you are unsure of when your insulation was last installed then chances are it is too old and damaged to work efficiently. Old insulation can host some contaminants left by rodents. These contaminants can be harmful to both your health and those living in your home. In case your attic has an odour, it’s a sure sign that it might be affected by rodents. Removing infested insulation can be incredibly beneficial for your health. Removing old insulation that might be infested by pests will not only help improve your health but also improve the quality of indoor air.

Attic rafters are the base or the frame of your attic. During construction, attic rafters are installed every one to four feet apart, depending on the type of roof. They are laid at an incline and may be fastened to the top of the wall and run up to the apex of the structure. 

So, what do attic rafters do? Well, since the attic rafters are essentially what holds the attic up, their strength and utility are crucial to the overall condition of the property as well as the lifespan of your attic. They also act as the bone of the attic, any weakness to the attic rafters directly affects the overall condition of your attic and the entire structure of the building.

Attic rafters are a complex structural system. It’s well designed to support the structure of your attic and roof. Now that you know its importance take time and have them inspected regularly to confirm they are in good condition.