Different Insulation Batts For Home
Insulation batts are the fiberglass batts that get inserted into loft cavities and other spaces in order to provide insulation. While fiberglass batts are most commonly used, there are also many other kinds of insulation batts that are popular and that offer a range of different advantages.
Fiberglass batts are made from melted glass which is around 20% to 30% recycled industrial waste. One of the advantages of fiberglass and the popular reasons it is used is that it is non-flammable except for the facing (though in some cases it’s possible to get batts with non-flammable facing and other fiberglass is unfaced). Other insulation materials however can prevent air and moisture and don’t result in the small particles of glass in the atmosphere that can irritate the skin as you find with fiberglass.
Other fibers used include rock and slag wool which is made from rock (such as basalt), ore and furnace slag. Some of this rock wool can also sometimes include recycled glass. Meanwhile plastic fiber is often used which is made from recycled plastic. This causes less irritation, however it is much more difficult to cut meaning it’s harder to get it to fit into the cavities where needed at the exact right size and shape. This is not usually used in the USA. It is flammable, but usually treated to be fire retardant.
Natural fiber meanwhile is treated with low toxicity fire and insect repellant and is similar to mineral fiber. There are many substances that can be classed as natural fiber, including cotton, cork, tissue, hemp, wool, coco, flax, wood, seaweed and more. Many plant based materials and even nut shells may also be used.
Cotton insulation batts are also increasing in popularity. These are environmentally friendly and are very good at insulating the property. They don’t have the toxic formaldehyde found in fiberglass batts and the manufacture is also less energy intensive.
In any case there are several goals of good insulation batts and they have many purposes and functions. The best insulation batts will be at once energy efficient and able to trap the heat in the property, they will be fire retardant so as to avoid helping to perpetuate a house fire, and they will be non toxic and non-irritant to avoid them causing the skin to itch or the eyes to dry out. On top of all this it’s also important from a moral perspective to try and ensure that the insulation batts be energy efficient to manufacture, and if they are both cheap to manufacture and good at containing energy in the home, then you will be reducing your carbon footprint by using those particular batts.
On top of all this you also need to make sure that your batts are able to be cut easily in order to fit into the loft and wall cavities, and you need to make sure that they won’t absorb moisture which can make them less able to perform their job. Finally you also should make sure that the batts are not going to provide a home for insects and vermin, and the less likely they are to sustain an infestation the better of course.
There are different styles of insulation batts available depending on what you need in your home. Some are just thermal while others include sound insulation.
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