Not many people realize that improperly installed Houston home insulation can actually be useless. This is the reason why installing your insulation as accurately as possible is very important. However, this might not be possible in older homes. If you have an older home, you can still retrofit your home with the best Houston home insulation materials possible. A few of the top tips that you can use to make the best out of your Houston home insulation materials and fitting processes are listed below. Read them carefully before choosing materials or retrofitting your home.
1. When you are installing a Houston home insulation, you have to evaluate your home for thermal bridges which conduct heat irrespective of the insulation that you have used. That means a thermal frame bridge can conduct as much as 15% of the heat from the ceiling or the outside of the house to the inside of your home resulting in a huge energy output to cool or warm your home. For these locations, it is recommended that you install polystyrene isolating strips. These are special insulating strips that can be forced between the outer and the inner envelope of your home. These Houston home insulation strips have to be at least 12mm in size and with an R-value of 0.2.
2. Vapor barriers are an essential barrier to protect your home from dampness during the rainy season. In damp regions, where heavy downpours are common in the winter season; humidity or water accumulates in the insulation resulting in mold and fungus growth. Not all of these varieties of insulation are dangerous but a few can be quite toxic resulting in chronic diseases and respiratory conditions. As a result, installing vapor barriers in the right direction with water resistant insulation can be very essential. Get in touch with expert Houston home insulation professionals who can do the job as professionally as possible.
3. Be very careful about wall insulation. All walls located next to hot water tubs and bathroom showers should protected and fully insulated to prevent water leakage and heat loss.. Insulation should be fitted between the pipes that are running on outer walls and the pipes especially if they are carrying hot water. The recommended rating is about R-19 to be used as insulation on all the walls in your home unless otherwise specified.
4. Wiring and ducting is always present in different parts of homes. Ideally you do need to install batting or insulation about the wiring and pipes. You can cut the Houston home insulation batting so that it fits around the pipes and wiring to make it fit. Make sure that you check your wiring over completely by a licensed electrician to ensure that it is covered completely. One layer should be in front and the other should be fitted behind the pipe. Ensure a minimum of these standards-
- 50mm of clearance above incandescent lights
- 100mm side clearance to all sides of beams and ducting that has been installed during construction. This same clearance should be followed for recessed halogen lights.
- Where possible install spacing around electrical wiring and place the wiring above the insulation to allow heat to dissipate upwards.
5. You will require the installation of an approved vapor barrier in specific areas of your home to protect it. Be especially careful around ducting, wiring and lights.
6. In cold conditions, condensation occurs very commonly in the roof space. It is necessary to have a professional Houston home insulation technician install the material for you.
7. Check local building codes before installing any type of insulation to prevent fire hazards.
Remember that installing insulation is a one-time deal as it can be quite expensive and labor intensive. When you are choosing the materials and the workers to do the job, ensure that you are using the best and the Houston home insulation materials will protect your home lifelong.
