When it comes to insulating an attic in a hot and humid climate like Florida, most experts agree that spray foam is the best option. This type of insulation helps keep moisture, mold, and mildew out of the attic. To ensure effective insulation, it is important to hire a professional HVAC company to install quality products. Aerosol foam insulation is created by mixing liquids that expand into foam when they come into contact with each other.
Both closed and open cell applications can be used in attics. Attic insulation is essential because more heat passes through the roof than any other part of the home. The most cost-effective way to insulate your home is to add insulation to the attic. You can measure the thickness of the insulation with a ruler and multiply it by the R-value of the insulation to get an insulation rating.
The Department of Energy's insulation fact sheet provides information on how to determine the R-value using this technique. Table 1 may also be useful. The main question is whether the attic is ventilated or not, which depends on whether the insulation is between the attic floor and the upper roof (ventilated) or along the bottom of the roof (unventilated). It is not recommended to have HVAC equipment in a ventilated attic as it will be cooled down by outside air. If you are building a new home with an unventilated attic, you must consider condensation control requirements as set forth in the Florida Building Code. Before installation, make sure that the roof or walls can support any additional weight from the extra insulation.
For more information on insulating materials, installation methods, and benefits, see Types of Insulation. A building must have a continuous layer of insulation around its entire envelope without gaps or compression. In two-story houses, floor beams are not always sealed from adjacent attic spaces rather than single-story spaces and attic air is right next to the roof. Loose-filled insulation is blown with special machinery while block insulation consists of rolls that can be divided into portions to fit. If every home in the country were properly insulated according to current building codes, Boston University School of Public Health found that it would reduce electricity consumption by 37 billion kilowatts.
However, in most areas of Florida, it is rarely cost-effective to add insulation to existing walls. A recent study by North American Insulation Manufacturers Association found that 90 percent of American homes are under-insulated. Other important aspects to consider include life cycle analysis, environmental impact, and human health issues related to resource extraction, manufacturing, use, and disposal of insulation. In addition, the overall R-value of a wall or roof will be somewhat different from the R-value of the insulation itself since some heat flows around it through posts and beams in wooden or steel frame structures (thermal bridges). It is very important to understand that how you install the insulation is almost as important as its R-value.
A good thermal barrier along the building envelope such as high-R-value insulation on walls, attic and raised floors as well as multi-paned glass helps reduce conduction.
