Proper ceiling insulation is essential for your home if you would like to manage your heating and cooling energy demands effectively. Often, homeowners will account for wall and window insulation when building or renovating their residential building. Unfortunately, the roofing is forgotten or overlooked. Therefore, the house continues to gain heat during summer and lose heat during winter. By installing ceiling insulation, you can prevent the indiscriminate heat flow. This improvement will ensure lower electrical bills and contribute to sustainability. If you are planning on purchasing ceiling insulation for the first time, consider these factors before selecting your product.

Material R-Value

You should check the R-value of your preferred insulation materials. The R-value is a measure of the effectiveness of the product in providing insulation. In simple terms, this is the material's capacity to resist thermal energy flow across its structure. The R-value is determined by multiple factors such as the material used to make the insulation, the thickness of the product and even the density of the structure. If an insulating has a high R-value, it will be able to provide better thermal resistance. Therefore, you should compare the different options in the market before purchasing the best performing product matching your budget.

Insulation Dimensions

Incorrect placement of insulation elements in the ceiling or roofing will interfere with the thermal performance. If the gaps which allow the flow of heat from and to the outdoors are not completely sealed, you will continue experiencing heating and cooling inefficiencies. Therefore, you should think about the dimensions of your roofing insulation product. If you are planning on installing blanket or segment insulation, you should choose product sizes which can be configured to provide efficient coverage. You should take particular note of the widths of the spacing between the ceiling joists, rafters or trusses. If blankets and segments do not match your needs, you can use loose fill insulation.

Intended Application 

You should consider the intended application of the insulation products when choosing materials for your ceiling or roof. In general, manufacturers fabricate insulation elements which are designed to match different parts of the house. If you select the wrong type of product, you will not enhance the thermal performance of the roof optimally. Also, the insulation might experience premature failure due to the unsuitable conditions. For example, wall insulating products might degrade faster in ceiling applications because of the insufficient shielding.

If you are not sure about the right ceiling insulation for your home, consult your licensed contractor.