Batt Insulation: Energy Smith Home Performance was recently asked, “What is batt insulation?” Batt insulation is the most common form of insulation in homes and what comes to people’s minds when insulation is mentioned. And properly insulating a home should always be a priority for homeowners to keep the cost of their energy bills down.
What is batt insulation?
As mentioned before batt insulation is the most common form of insulation found in homes. This is true because contractors typically use batt for new construction. Batt is cheap process when insulating a new home. The way batt is installed keeps labor down and this is a priority for most contractors. Batt is made up of fiberglass and comes in the form of pre-cut batts or rolls that have been bound. These batts make it easy for contractors to install by simply cutting them into the correct size strips. These strips can then be placed into cavities in the walls, attics, and more to create a barrier against the natural thermal flow.
What product line do you use?
At Energy Smith Home Performance, we use Johns Manville (JM) Kraft-Faced and Unfaced batts and rolls. We believe in offering the finest products available for our customers.
Why is the JM product line considered the best?
The JM company revolutionized the industry years ago when they created a product line that was formaldehyde-free. Formaldehyde is commonly used to bind the long strands of glass fibers together, but it can potentially cause adverse side effects in people.
To begin with, formaldehyde has a strong odor even though it is a colorless gas. This gas can create health concerns revolving around irritation in the nose, ears, eyes, and throat. It can also cause coughing, wheezing, headaches and other various allergic reactions. Needless to say, any of these effects are not sought by a homeowner.
However, JM created a new bio-based binder that is not only formaldehyde-free but also eco-friendly.
More Information about JM Batts & Rolls
Both the Kraft-faced and Unfaced batts and rolls:
- Have an R-value from R-11 to R-38
- Ideal for moisture control in exterior walls.
- Excellent temperature control.
- Superior noise control.
What is the difference between faced and unfaced batt insulation?
The difference between the two is that Kraft-faced paper batts have paper bound to one side of the insulation. This Kraft-paper acts as a vapor barrier and the paper tabs on it can be used to install it in a cavity.
Exterior walls typically have Kraft-paper faced batts while unfaced batts are normally used in crawl spaces. When unfaced batting is used a vapor barrier or retarder, is commonly created using plastic etc. However, each type of batting or rolls can be used in either area as well as others in your home.
Is insulating my home important?
Yes, insulating your home is very important. As a matter of fact, properly insulating your home is an investment that will quickly pay for itself. A properly insulated space will keep the natural thermal flow to a minimum thus resulting in lower energy bills. Insulation is needed to keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter! No one wants to be paying to heat and cool the outdoors, besides the more energy we use the more of an impact we have on the environment.
Can I install insulation myself?
You can certainly DIY and install insulation in your home yourself, but we recommend having a contractor do it for you. Energy Smith Home Performance has highly trained energy auditors who will provide you with a free consultation to assess your home’s needs. In fact, we train others to acquire their certifications in standards and sciences of the Building Performance Institute (BPI). The BPI is the nation’s premier standards and development for energy auditing. Thus, we are experts in our industry and can help you make your home as energy efficient as possible. Contact us today and begin saving!
We hope this answers your very common questions about batt.
We at EnergySmith would suggest Blow in insulation for most existing homes, due to its ability to enter those gaps, cracks and crevasses all attics tend to have. Batt is a good first layer, but typically does not cover the ceiling joist in the attic, which leave thermal bridging by the wood. Blow-In ( Climate Pro ) will address this issue and drastically improve home performance.
