Which rigid insulation should I Choose?
Which rigid insulation should I Choose? Choose the right type of rigid foam for your needs. When choosing rigid foam insulation, you have three main options: Polyisocyanurate: Known as polyiso for short, polyisocyanurate foam has the highest R-value per inch (R-6.5 to R-6.8) of any rigid insulation.
What are the types of rigid insulation?
Types of Rigid Foam Insulation. There are many types of rigid foam insulation material, but the most common ones include Polyisocyanurate (Polyiso), Extruded polystyrene (XPS), and Expanded Polystyrene. There's also mineral wool which is more environmentally friendly. However, it fails to act as an air barrier and generally costs more.
Where to buy rigid insulation?
Typically sold as sheet insulation in a standard size of 4 x 8, foam insulation panels can help reduce energy costs, get a handle on moisture control and more. Shop at Lowe’s to find the foam sheeting you need for your next insulation project.
What is the best insulation board to use?
Types of insulation boards
- PIR insulation boards. PIR boards (polyisocyanurate insulation) have a wide applicability and are perfectly suited to insulate a flat roof or a cavity wall.
- PUR insulation boards. Polyurethane (PUR) is one of the most efficient insulation materials on the market. ...
- XPS insulation boards. ...
- EPS sheets. ...
- Supple glass wool insulation boards. ...
What is rigid board made of?
Rigid panel insulation, also referred to as continuous insulation, can be made from foam plastics such as polyurethane (PUR), polyisocyanurate (PIR), and polystyrene, or from fibrous materials such as fiberglass, rock and slag wool.
What does rigid insulation do?
Rigid insulation provides thermal protection and it can also serve as an air and moisture barrier. There are three primary types of rigid insulation: expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), and polyisocyanurate (polyiso).
Is rigid insulation good?
Rigid foam stands up to moisture better than fiberglass. Radiant Heat Floors: Rigid foam is used as a thermal barrier underneath radiant floor heating systems. Rim Joists: Rim joists around the edge of a foundation can be insulated with rigid foam blocks cut to fill the space and caulked in place.
What is the difference between batt and rigid insulation?
The key difference between rigid foam insulation and traditional insulation is, as you might expect, the strength of the material. Unlike batt and blown insulation, rigid foam won't blow or shift out of place once it's installed. It also is water and pest resistant, making it perfect for basements and crawl spaces.
Is rigid insulation waterproof?
Rigid insulation is used in homes to insulate roofs and for below-grade applications such as insulating basements. XPS, EPS and polyiso keep homes sealed and protected against everything from rain to snow, ice and hail.
How do you install rigid insulation?
1:202:48DIY Insulation Project: Basement Walls Rigid Foam - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPosition the board's vertically. Using a level to ensure they are plumb against the wall. Notice howMorePosition the board's vertically. Using a level to ensure they are plumb against the wall. Notice how the notched edges fit together to create an insulated channel with no energy robbing air gaps.
Which insulation board is best?
Polyurethane (PUR) is one of the most efficient insulation materials on the market. PUR is available in the shape of insulation boards or foam. However, the boards have a better insulation value than the foam variant. Moreover, these boards guarantee a certain thickness in advance and nothing has to be taped over.
Is rigid foam board a vapor barrier?
Rigid foam board, especially foil-faced polyisocyanurate, creates a vapor-impermeable barrier, so the wall would have limited drying potential. Even more permeable types of insulation, such as expanded polystyrene, are vapor barriers when the installation is thick enough.
What is the best insulation for walls?
The best insulation for walls when it comes to new build homes or remodels is going to be Nu-Wool, foam board, or open cell spray foam....Cons:Open cell spray foam is an expensive option for insulation.Spray foam can't be installed as a DIY project.Some brands of spray foam have an odor when installed.
What are the 3 types of insulation?
The most common types of materials used for loose-fill insulation include cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral (rock or slag) wool. All of these materials are produced using recycled waste materials.
Which is better insulation roll or board?
Rigid boards can be used to insulate both joists and rafters and are a great choice if your loft is large. Although more expensive than rolls, they offer good thermal values at half the thickness. Also, you can easily store items directly on top of them.
Is foam board better than insulation?
Foam board insulation is a great alternative to the very common fiberglass batt insulation that is in most of our homes. It has a higher R-Value per inch of thickness, it's resistant to moisture and is easy to work with.
What is rigid foam board insulation?
As one alternative to the more common blanket or roll batt insulation, rigid foam insulation adds layers of thermal resistance to your home’s exterior walls, roof and foundation. Rather than loose, soft mats of fiberglass particles, rigid foam board insulation consists of sheets of polyurethane, polystyrene or polyiso foam ...
What is rigid foam insulation made of?
Rigid foam insulation is typically made from three different types of plastic with slightly different R-values. They are known as MEPS, XEPS and polyiso. The first, MEPS, stands for molded expanded polystyrene. It has an R-value of 3.8 to 4.4 per inch of board thickness. The second type, XEPS, stands for extruded expanded polystyrene.
Which is stronger, closed cell or open cell insulation?
Closed cell foam board insulation is strong and possesses a higher R-value than open cell insulation. R-values indicate the level of thermal resistance of an insulating material. Open cell insulations, like soft batt insulation, possess of lower R-value than rigid foam board. Rigid foam also better resists water and air leaks.
Is polyurethane more resistant than MEPS?
It is formed in a similar way, but it is more resistant than MEPS and has a higher R-value on average. The other types, polyurethane and polyiso rigid foam insulation have higher R-values of between 5.6 and 8 per thickness-inch. Thinner boards will often provide as much insulation as thicker pieces of other materials.
Types of Foam Board Insulation & R Values
Foam board is commonly available in three variations, namely polystyrene, polyisocyanurate, and polyurethane. Let us have a brief look over their main characteristics, applications, and R-values.
Recommended R-value for Foam Board
If you’ve decided to insulate a building with foam board insulation, you’re probably curious about which rating to opt for. Here’s the thing: the recommended R-value for every area is different. The US is subcategorized into climate zones with each zone having its own R-value requirements for homeowners to follow.
Comparing Foam Board to Other Insulation Materials
Foam board insulation has its own pros and cons, but how well does it put up in competition with other popular insulation options such as fiberglass, rockwool, and spray foam?
Effect of Moisture on Foam Board R value
All products of foam board insulation come with special moisture-resisting abilities. For an insulation material, this can do wonders. Foam board insulation is almost completely impermeable. Due to this advantage, it is free from the need for a vapor barrier which is an additional cost.
Does compression affect R-value?
Compression can become a major issue during the installing process for insulation. In general, you’re not supposed to compress the material because doing so can negatively impact the R-value you’re trying to aim for. Foam board insulation cannot and should not be compressed. Hence, its R-value remains unaffected during the installation process.
Why Do R-values Differ in Foam Board Products?
You’re probably wondering how a single insulation material has different R-values. The answer to this question is quite simple. Since foam board comes in different variations with different compositions, each product has its own effectiveness in preventing heat energy loss. For instance, expanded polystyrene has a lower density and lighter mass.
Where to Use Foam Board Insulation
Deciding whether foam board insulation is right for you or not is an important decision. Foam board insulation is great at combatting moisture. Polyurethane, in particular, holds excellent moisture-resistant qualities that make it one of the best options for insulating areas where moisture would build up or pipe leaks might happen.
What is Rigid Foam Board Insulation?
Spray foam and rigid foam board insulation are the two most popular types of foam insulation. This article will focus mainly on the latter. (To learn more about the former, click here.)
Types of Rigid Foam Board Insulation
Depending on how a rigid foam panel was manufactured, it can have slightly different properties. The various manufacturing processes have given rise to three different types of rigid foam board insulation, which are:
Characteristics of Foam Board Insulation
All types of rigid foam board insulation have several common characteristics or features. These characteristics are:
A Brief Overview of Fiberglass Insulation
Fiberglass insulation typically comes in tightly packed rolls of extremely fine glass fibers. It is one of the most common materials used to insulate American homes.
Types of Fiberglass Insulation
There are two main types of fiberglass insulation that typically have distinct applications and offer their own advantages and drawbacks. They are:
Differences Between Rigid Foam Board and Fiberglass Insulation
Fiberglass and rigid foam board insulation are pretty different in terms of their structure and properties.
Conclusion
These are some of the factors you must consider when deciding whether to install fiberglass or rigid foam insulation in your living space. In addition, you might want to consult a trusted architect, builder, or insulation technician, to get a better idea of which type would be best suited to your home.
What is a polyiso board?
Polyiso would be one of the best-performing insulation rigid foam insulation boards on the market today giving the highest R-values for the least thickness.
What is polyiso insulation?
Polyiso insulation can also be used whereby airtightness is required. Taping the joints and sealing the edges along with using airtight membranes will create an airtight home while maintaining a AAA rating for your homes insulation values.
Can polyiso be used in stud walls?
Polyiso insulation can be used in so many different locations and effectively can totally replace glass wool and mineral wool in almost every application. The most common places you will find Polyiso insulation would be stud walls, floors, cavity walls, roof spaces/ attics, and external walls.
Who makes XPS insulation?
XPS: Pactiv, Dow, Johns Manville and Owens Corning all manufacture XPS insulation. Styrofoam insulation from Dow is one of the most recognizable insulation sheets on the market due to its famous blue color.
Is EPS insulation good for carparks?
EPS insulation would be one of the least efficient rigid board insulations today. However, all is not lost as EPS has a high compressive strength and is great for carparks or floors that are carrying a little more weight than usual. Also, EPS insulation would be widely used in passive housing for the foundations.
Cellulose Insulation
Cellulose insulation is incredibly eco-friendly. Manufacturers make it using recycled denim, newsprint, and other recycled materials.
Pros of Cellulose Insulation
As you probably can tell from the descriptions above, cellulose insulation has several benefits that result in it being one of the most popular types of insulation.
Cons of Cellulose Insulation
Cellulose insulation also presents some challenges to consider when deciding which type of insulation to use.
Rigid Foam Board Insulation
Rigid foam board insulation is quite different from cellulose insulation. Foam board tends to be more structured than cellulose and has a higher R-value .
Pros of Rigid Foam Board Insulation
Rigid foam board insulation has numerous benefits that mostly start with its high R-value and durability.
Direct Comparison
Below is a chart directly comparing cellulose and rigid foam board. The chart should help you visualize the similarities and differences between the two types of insulation.
Conclusion
Both cellulose and rigid foam board insulation offer a lot of value for your home.
How thick is foam board insulation?
It comes in standard-size 4×8 sheets, and smaller sizes, in many different thicknesses from 1/4 inch to 2 inches. Some types of thicker foam board insulation are available, but they may need to be special ordered.
What is the best insulation for a batt?
Foam board insulation is a great alternative to the very common fiberglass batt insulation that is in most of our homes. It has a higher R-Value per inch of thickness, it’s resistant to moisture and is easy to work with.
What is EPS insulation?
EPS is used under roofing, over foundation walls and beneath siding. Extruded Polystyrene. This foam board insulation is the rigid pink or blue panels that can be found at home centers in many different thicknesses. It is denser than EPS and provides more R-Value with a rating of 5 per inch of thickness. This foam board insulation is available ...
What is the R value of polyiso?
Polyiso (Polyisocyanurate). This is an even more dense and more expensive foam board insulation. It provides an R-value of 6 per inch of thickness and often comes foil-faced to help reflect radiant heat.
Is foam board insulation good for a basement?
Because of its resistance to moisture, foam board insulation is a great choice whenever and wherever there is a chance it could get wet, such as: an exterior foundation, inside a basement against the foundation, and on the outside of a house beneath a house wrap. Foam board insulation is more expensive than traditional batt insulation, ...
