There's no question that the quality, and quantity of insulation in your attic and walls, contributes to the comfort, and energy efficiency of your home, but which type of insulation is best? In an effort to be more eco-friendly, save money, or avoid certain materials, you may be tempted to explore some creative Las Vegas home insulation solutions, but before you make your final decision, consider all your options carefully to maximize your comfort, safety, and investment.
4 Creative Las Vegas Home Insulation Techniques
Top quality Las Vegas attic insulation keeps your home warm in the winter, and cool in the summer, by preventing the transfer of heat between the attic and your living space. As a result, less energy is required to heat or cool your home, reducing your carbon footprint, and lowering your monthly bills, while yielding a high return on your investment. Creative home insulation solutions, use materials not found in traditional insulation, such as sustainable, or recycled elements, like those listed below.
- Bales Of Hay
Straw bales are biodegradable, use little energy to produce, and provide an R-value around R-30. This type of construction and insulation isn't new, but due to the required thickness of the walls at a minimum of 18 inches, the loss of interior square footage is a deterrent to many.
- Recycled Denim
Using recycled material is great for the environment, and since the material itself is 100 percent cotton, it's as soft and comfortable as your old jeans. However, if you're looking for the best green alternative, keep in mind that cotton growth and production is exceptionally harsh on the environment. The R-value on this type of Las Vegas home insulation is higher than straw, but the higher price tag, and unacceptable gap ratios which can occur as a result of a low expansion rate when filling in cavities, may wind up costing you more than it's worth.
- Vines
Vines can be effective in keeping your home cool during the summer months by shading the walls from the sun, however they're not as effective during the winter months at keeping the heat inside. Few options for climbing vines are native to the Las Vegas climate, and can be difficult to grow, in addition to harming the exterior of your home and creating cozy homes for inspects and spiders.
- Tire Homes
Scrap tires overrun landfills, and are a disposal nightmare, but are now being recycled for a number of uses from playground equipment to exterior walls. For use as insulating walls, tires are typically filled with earth for strength, stability, and durability, and their flexibility makes them more earthquake resistant than alternative building materials.
While each of these materials do have certain insulating properties, best results are achieved when insulation levels meet, or exceed the R-value standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy. Contact First Quality Roofing & Insulation today for a free quote, and feel the difference that only premium, professionally installed insulation can make in your Las Vegas home.
