• How well the insulation controls heat transfer
• How the insulation impacts the safety of the building
• How the insulation can improve indoor air quality
• How well insulation controls sound
• How does the insulation impact the environment

Lower cost insulation products will only address some of these items, while higher quality insulation products will address these items more effectively. If you are concerned about most of the items above, then you should understand how the different insulation products work and impact these building characteristics. By understanding the building impacts, you can make an informed decision about the best solution for your project. Obviously, we hope you choose an Arbor Insulation product, but we will be happy if we are able to help you make an informed decision.

Controlling Heat Transfer 

You probably already know this fact from your own personal heating bill, but did you know there are two different ways to control heat transfer? The most well known type of heat transfer is conductive heat loss or gain. This is the type of heat transfer you experience, when you put your hand on a warm object and feel the heat move directly to your hand. Conductive heat transfer is measured by the R-value. The second type of heat gain/loss is convective heat transfer, which is the transfer of heat via air movement. You can experience this type of heat transfer around leaky windows, doors, power sockets, and light switches.

R-value does not measure convective heat transfer. There is a test, called ASTM E283 ( American Society for Testing and Materials), that measures air permeability. You should note that the U.S. Department of Energy states that 50% of the heat loss through your attic can be from convective heat loss through loose fill insulation.

Increasing Building Safety

As with all materials that you add to your building project, you want to make sure they are afe. One of the primary safety concerns has to do with reducing the amount of flammable aterials in the home. The CDC reported that fire fighters responded to 402,000 home ires in 2003. Materials you add for insulation should be Class 1 or Class A fire rated based on ASTM E84 test. There are three classes of fire ratings Class 1, 2, or 3 ( s ometimes called Class A, B, or C) , with Class 1 or Class A being the best. You should look for insulation with these fire ratings and ask to see the test results for the insulation products you choose. Reducing the amount of flammable material in your building may give the necessary time for your or children to escape.

Improving Indoor Air Quality

A National Home Builders Association research project showed that 27% of homes 15 years or older showed evidence of mold. The CDC has reported that the incident of asthma has been steadily rising for the past 20 years with 6.3 million children diagnosed with the infection in 2001. The insulation you install in your building should not contribute to additional particulate matter in the air such as dust from ground up paper or fiberglass particles. The insulation should also not be a source for mold/mildew growth as tested by ASTM C1338 and not be a food source for pests.

Control Sound Transmission

As any homeowner knows, having a quiet home retreat for the end of a busy day is both a luxury and a necessity. What most people do not know is that 9+ million people suffer from noise induced hearing loss according to the National Institute of Health ( NIH ) . Sources of harmful noise include lawn mowers, leaf blowers, HVAC equipment among others. The insulation you put in home can help reduce this noise. You should look for an insulation
product that has the highest Sound Transmission Class score possible as tested according to ASTM E90.

Green Building

With rising oil/energy prices and disappearing natural resources, many concerned homeowners, builders and architects are looking to create buildings that have a lower impact on the environment. You can lower this impact by building both a more energy efficient home and by using materials made from renewable resources.