Best Insulation for Texas Home
In Texas, there are many styles and types of homes. In this post, Spring Insulation, LLC, your Spring, TX home insulation company, breaks down the differences between foundation and insulation types. There are lots of differences between the two types of foundations – for example, the way you do a pier and beam foundation repair is much different from that of slab repairs. Today, we will be focussing on the differences when it comes to insulation.
Best Insulation for Concrete Slab in Texas
Concrete slabs are extremely common in South Texas. Many people choose a slab foundation because it is quick to pour, and does not need a lot of prep. Soil is moved, metal bars, or rebar, is put together in a grid-work pattern, and then concrete is poured.
With this type of foundation, the concrete is simply poured onto the existing ground. Many homes in the Spring, TX area have this type of foundation. Other structures with a slab foundation might include a shed, barn, outdoor basketball court, or other structures around your property.
Northern areas need rigid board insulation around their foundation to help insulate the slab from harsh winters. In Texas, however, this method isn’t as needed because our climate does not require it. For the majority of Texas homes, insulation is only needed in the walls and in the attic. For the walls, many people go with either rolled batt insulation or spray foam insulation. Attic insulation in Spring, TX is typically going to be fiberglass blown-in Insulation.
Recommended Insulation for Slab Foundations
Spring Insulation, LLC recommends that you use blown-in insulation for your attic. We ensure that the R-value of your insulation is the right amount for your home. If you do not know what R-value stands for, don’t worry, you can read more about it here. When it comes to insulating your attic, it is important to note that the majority of your heating and cooling savings is directly related to the amount of attic insulation you have. It is important, however, to make sure that you do not over insulate as this will cause future problems.
In the meantime, it is a good idea to inspect your attic insulation about once a year. If you start seeing any exposed rafters, you should call Spring Insulation, LLC at (832) 447-6200 to get a free consultation to see if you need to add more insulation. Fiberglass blown in insulation does break down over time, and you will need to add more as the years go on.
For the walls of your home, Spring Insulation, LLC recommends you either go with rolled batt insulation, or spray foam insulation. Spray foam insulation will definitely last longer and give you a more permanent seal for your walls. That said, rolled batt insulation does a great job of insulating your home and is less expensive.
Best Insulation for Pier and Beam Homes in Texas
With this type of foundation, your home is built directly onto the surface of the earth. The only insulation you will need to keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter will be installed in the walls, ceiling, and attic of your home. In Texas, our climate actually allows us to benefit from an un-insulated slab with a consistent cool ground temperature as we are a “cooling” climate.
Pier and beam homes are very popular because it allows for all of your plumbing and electrical components to be easily accessed. Along with that, it makes repairs quite easy. Insulation in pier and beam homes is not all that different than in slab homes in Spring, TX.
Because of the way pier and beam homes are built, the air-flow beneath the home helps with insulation. It acts as its own insulating barrier and keeps the home cool, or warm.
Recommended Insulation for Pier and Beam Homes
Much like a home with a concrete slab foundation, Spring Insulation, LLC recommends a similar type of insulation for pier and beam homes. For the attic, our recommendation is still fiberglass blown-in insulation. With a high R-value, this type of insulation does an excellent job or retaining the cool air when it ‘s hot outside and the warm air when it’s cold outside.
For the walls, it is recommended to use rolled batt insulation or spray foam insulation. Again, the spray foam insulation costs a bit more, but the R-value and the longevity is retained. Rolled batt insulation has been used in walls for many years, and still does an excellent job or insulating your home.