Making Fiberglass Work
With proper air-sealing and attention to installation details, batt insulation works great.
Synopsis: Fiberglass insulation is the most popular residential insulating product sold today. Unfortunately nearly all of it is poorly installed, so it doesn’t perform as well as it could. Common installation problems include gaps or voids around pipes, ducts, and wires, and batts that are compressed or improperly sized for the cavity. Lee Kurtas, an insulation professional in Houston, describes how to install fiberglass insulation so that it fits right and provides good thermal performance. He describes the sequence of a whole-house insulating job, including air-sealing and where to start insulating, then discusses how to efficiently and effectively delegate the work, and where energy raters are likely to focus their inspections. A comprehensive sidebar describes the RESNET rating system and provides illustrations on what RESNET Grades I, II, and III look like in an insulated wall without drywall. Photos: Patrick McCombe
When building science and home efficiency really took…
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