Different Types of Insulation Materials
Depending on your local climate, insulation can be as essential as any other component in a building. However, insulation does not come in one form, many insulative solutions are out there as tailorability of living conditions becomes paramount.
Similarly, many outdated housing installations have not kept up with the pace of development when it comes to insulation. Which is why many are now opting for insulation removal vacuums to retrofit the type of insulation that sits within their building.
Let us outline some of the more common insulation materials seen throughout the industry:
Loose-Fill Insulation
When looking for insulation that is capable of moulding around eccentric shapes while not causing damage to the structure then loose-fill insulation is typically given top priority, especially for retrofitting. This insulation type can be subcategorised into two forms:
- Granular Insulation: usual insulation types for this include perlite, cork, and vermiculite. These materials vary in their density, allowing for flexibility in the amount of heat flow that needs to be achieved, and are typically implemented within the vertical cavities of a concrete wall. Granular insulations are applied by being poured into recesses.
- Cellulose Insulation: a plethora of organic fibres, such as chipped wood, and newspaper, can be repurposed for use as fireproof insulation. This loose fill insulation is ideal for walls and attics in housing due to their fire retardant treatment and tightly packed nature, keeping the potential of a fire hazard low. Fibrous loose insulation is applied by being machine blown into cavities.
Batt and roll blanket insulation
One of the more common typical of insulation you are likely to come across throughout residential establishments, with thicknesses ranging from 3.5 – 12”.
- Fiberglass: much like granular insulation, manufacturers now have the capacity to produce high-density fiberglass batts; allowing heat flow and air circulation to be minimised as the fibres demonstrate increasingly tighter packing. Official health concerns surrounding causative links between the inhalation of fiberglass and cancer have been addressed as producers are now disseminating fiberglass that is enveloped between sheets of a thermoplastic polymer, however, caution should still be practiced through use of a respirator.
- Mineral Wool: the cornerstone behind the production of mineral wool stems from the derivation of fibres from an igneous rock known as basalt. The batts formed from this demonstrate not only excellent insulative properties, but also sound-proofing applications for those in need of quieter environment. Unfortunately, their scalability is poor due to the material they are sourced from, ultimately leading to a most costly solution for installation.
Finding the Right Insulation Removal Vacuum
We’ve been supplying clients with complete solutions surrounding air handling equipment for over four decades, including insulation removal vacuums. Our portable industrial removal vacuum makes blown insulation removal a breeze, with attics taking no longer than a few hours to complete. Reach out to us and we will be happy to provide a quote!
