There are also other forms of insulation to prevent unnecessary noise (soundproofing) and preventing dangerous contact with extreme power sources (electricity). Fortunately, man had already discovered and developed ways and means (and the materials) to avoid these conditions in their lives.
There are many forms of insulation that are in use today, the most pronounced are those that deal with extreme heat and extreme cold (thermal insulation). Soundproofing (acoustic insulation) has been, more or less, successfully dealt with. The same is true with electricity where all of the materials in use are properly insulated.
Types of Insulation
When you insulate your homes, there are several types of insulation to choose from. In choosing the best that fits your needs, determine first the following: Where you want or need to install or add insulation, and the recommended R-values needed for areas you want to insulate.
Insulation types include foam board, or liquid foam insulation core, straw core insulation, blanket or batt and roll insulation, concrete block insulation, rigid foam, insulated concrete forms (ICFs) and loose-fill and blown-In insulation.
Blanket insulation
This is the most common and widely available insulation type, and they come in batts or rolls. The materials used are flexible fibers, mostly fiberglass. (Others re from mineral rock, wool, plastic fibers, and other natural fibers like cotton and sheep’s wool.)
Batts are available in correct widths for standard spacing of walls studs, trusses or rafters. Continuous rolls can be hand-cut and trimmed to fit. They have the thermal resistance you can choose from to fit your needs.
Concrete Block
Mostly, they are used to build home foundations and walls and there are ways to insulate them. They can be filled with insulation. Usually, the insulation are done over their surfaces to avoid heat conduction on sold materials.
Some makers incorporate polystyrene beads into concrete blocks, and some make rigid foam inserts that can increase their thermal resistance.
Foam Board or Rigid Foam
Foam boards (rigid insulation panels) can be used to insulate almost any part of your home, from the roof down to the foundation. It is very effective in exterior wall sheathing, interior sheathing for basement walls, and special applications such as attic hatches.
They provide good thermal resistance and can reduce heat through structural elements. Like wood and steel studs. They are made from polystyrene and polyurethane, etc.
Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs)
They are forms for poured concrete walls. This creates walls with high thermal resistance. Their system is made of interconnected foam boards or interlocking hollow core foam insulation blocks.
These foam boards are fastened together using plastic ties. When using foam blocks, steel rods are used inside the hollow cores for strength.
Loose-fill insulation
These are small particles of fiber, foam and others that can conform to any space without disturbing structures or finishes. They are used for retrofits and in locations where it is hard to install other types of insulators.
These are the common types of insulation used these days. You need to choose the type that best fits your project.
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