Quality insulation is crucial for a comfortable and energy-efficient home. Insulation serves as a thermal barrier that slows down the movement of heat through convection and conduction and sometimes radiation. During hot weather, the layers of insulation in the walls and the attic prevent excess heat from seeping inside, making it easier to cool your house and lessen the burden on your AC. During cold weather, insulation keeps heat trapped inside, and your heating system won’t have to strain continually to replace the warmth escaping to the outdoors.
But simply having insulation in your home isn’t enough: it must be properly installed, and it must be the right type. One important piece of information to have about insulation is its “R-value,” which plays a huge role in whether the insulation is right for the job or not.
Trust professionals like those at J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing for your insulation in Orange Park, FL, and you will always receive the correct R-value insulation, installed correctly.
So just what is R-value?
R-value is a measure of how much resistance a piece of insulation creates against the movement of heat through conduction: in rough terms, the R-value is how “good” insulation is at creating a heat barrier.
The R-value of insulation is determined through laboratory tests, and run through the following formula: temperature difference x area x length of exposure divided by heat loss. The resulting integer is the R-value; the higher the number, the more effective the insulation at slowing the heat transfer. A typical R-value for fiberglass insulation is R-19.
It’s important to know that a high R-value doesn’t necessarily mean that the insulation will do the best job for your home. For one thing, R-value does not measure how well the insulation blocks heat movement through convection or radiation, only conduction. Then there is the issue of installation since the highest R-value available is no good if the installer placed it poorly and left areas where heat is still able to escape or enter. Insulation that is compressed or crushed also loses most of its R-value, and if the insulation isn’t the right type for the section of the house it is supposed to heat-shield, the R-value will again be of little use.
Professional insulation installers are skilled at balancing R-value with other factors to make sure that a home has the proper barrier against heat that will keep it cool down in summer and warm in winter. Our insulation experts at J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing use a variety of types of insulation, such as bats and blown-in insulation (excellent for filling in oddly shaped spaces). They can survey your house and make sure that it receives the ideal insulation in Orange Park, FL for all seasons. Contact us today to set up an appointment with one of our insulation specialists.
