If you think that your home is under-insulated, there is a simple insulation inspection that you can do to help you determine your insulation needs. Getting the right amount of insulation can help you keep a comfortable temperature throughout your home and cut costs on your energy bills.
Inspecting Your Insulation
We recommend that you start with your attic by inspecting the condition of the current insulation. Find out what type of insulation it is. It could be spray foam, cellulose, fibreglass or another type. Try to calculate the current level of insulation by measuring the depth. Your attic should have a certain amount of insulation in it. See the R-VALUES below.
Loose-fill Cellulose: 3.1 – 3.8 R-VALUE PER INCH
Loose-fill Fiberglass: 2.2 – 2.9 R-VALUE PER INCH
Loose-fill Stone Wool: 2.2 – 3.3 R-VALUE PER INCH
Fibreglass Batting: 2.9 – 3.8 R-VALUE PER INCH
Stone Wool Batting: 3.3 – 4.2 R-VALUE PER INCH
Polyurethane Foam: 5.6 – 8.0 R-VALUE PER INCH
Cementitious Foam: 2.0 – 3.9 R-VALUE PER INCH
For an attic to be up to code, it must have between 14 and 16 inches of cellulose attic insulation, and most homes we work on are closer to 5 inches. Cellulose is a 100% Canadian-made product that is made mostly of recycled newspaper and has approx. 80% recycled content. It is treated with Boric acid as a vermin retardant to keep mice and other critters out of your attic.
Ontario Building Code For Insulation in 2021
The Ontario Building Code Insulation Section was created to avoid unsafe construction practices, construction methods, and materials. It serves to guarantee both builders and homeowners comfortable and safe homes. It requires each section of a house that separates the inside from the outside and vice versa.
These are some of the rules regarding the installation of thermal insulation and Loose-Fill insulation:
Installation of Thermal Insulation must be at least a height of 2" above a crawl space floor.
To prevent the flow of air through the material from being affected, the insulation must contact an air barrier. If the insulation material is susceptible to water, it must be at least a height of 2" above a crawl space floor. If the insulation is exposed to atmospheric events, it must be protected by 6mm thick preservative plywood or 12mm cement parging.
Installation of Loose-Fill Insulation
Loose-Fill Insulation must be covered with a membrane through which you can look. After the installation is installed, it must not move, and it should not swell and obstruct the home's internal finishes.
Inspect Your Ceiling
Do you already have your ceiling insulated? If not, you should consider insulating the ceiling. That will help you to avoid heat losses and reducing sounds. Ceiling insulation is an efficient and inexpensive way to improve the energy performance of your house.
Inspect Your Walls and Basement Walls
There are plenty of rewards for insulating the walls of your home and basement. Improving your home's thermal performance will reduce energy consumption and reducing your energy bills.
Does Your Attic Insulation Measure Up?
If your insulation does not measure up, you could need more. You can also call a professional insulation contractor like Reitzel Insulation to give you a free estimate and handle the job.
Give us a call or fill out our online contact form for your Free in-home assessment. We will set up an in-home inspection to find out if you need attic or roof insulation. Our main objective is to have your insulation needs taken care of quickly!
Call 1-800-265-8869 today!
.jpg)
.png)
