How to choose Green Insulation for your Home

A properly insulated home can be much more affordable to heat and cool. This is because insulating key areas of your home can prevent the loss of treated air and eliminate drafty areas or areas which are abnormally hot or cold. While many people think that the only efficient choice is the standard fiberglass insulation, the fact is that there are other environmentally friendly ways that you can insulate your home.

How insulation works
When we heat or cool our home, we are changing the temperature of the air in our home. Heated air will naturally try to mix with cooler air. In winter, this means that heat will be pulled out of our homes and in summer, the heated air outside will try and make its way inside. When you factor in the fact that approximately 50% of our energy use goes towards the heating and cooling of our home you can see why it is so important to stop this trend. Insulation forms a physical barrier that prevents the movement of air from one area to the next. When the air cannot escape, the heating or cooling effect that air has will not be lost either.

Insulation ratings
Not all forms of insulation are created equal. There are some forms of insulation that are meant for certain areas of the home. Certain types of insulating materials will also be better at trapping heated or cooled air than others will. This resistance to transferring heat is expressed as an R-value. The higher the R-value is, the more heat will be retained. If you live in an area where the climate is cooler you may be better off to choose an insulation that has a higher R-value. You will find that your home will cost less to heat as it is more energy efficient.

Green forms of insulation
There are new forms of insulation on the market that are environmentally friendly and extremely efficient at preventing heat transference. One of the most environmentally friendly is cellulose insulation. Cellulose insulation is made from plant fibers and can be used in either walls or roof cavities.

Other forms of insulation that are made from green materials include those made from mineral fibers, recycled newsprint and recycled blue jeans. There is also a new product on the market that is also made from minerals and is called air krete. It has a high R-value and also has acoustical properties that make it an excellent choice in areas where sound control is also an issue.