Attic Insulation Durham, NCAttic insulation is a crucial component of your home's comfort and has a significant impact on maintenance and energy costs. Durham Spray Foam Insulation understands the unique requirements for proper attic insulation in Durham, NC. Our website is here for you as a resource to understanding insulation application in attics.
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Why Does Attic Insulation Matter?
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Even with our pleasant climate in Durham, there is still plenty of sunshine and many warm days to enjoy. But, warm days in a poorly insulated home are not all that enjoyable. As the summer sun beats down on your roof, your attic temperatures can exceed 140° without sufficient attic insulation. This heat transfers into the rooms below, creating a very uncomfortable situation.
The heat you paid to keep your Durham, North Carolina home or business comfortable rises into a poorly insulated attic in colder weather. As this happens, colder outside air is drawn into your home, causing your HVAC system to run much more than necessary. The extra wear and tear on this system can have high costs down the road. Your cost is immediately impacted by the additional use of energy to heat this cold outside air. Another issue with excessive heat in your attic is the damage it can cause to your roofing material. Specifically, extreme attic heat can break down the adhesive and material of composition roofing. Not only does your poorly insulated attic increase energy costs, but it also shortens the lifespan of your HVAC. It can cause you to replace your roof prematurely, costing many thousands of dollars. There are many ways that proper attic insulation in your Durham, NC home can improve their comfort, bottom line, and peace of mind. |
How Much Attic Insulation Do You Need?
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The amount of attic insulation required depends on where you live and the type of insulation used. Durham, North Carolina, is in climate zone three with a government recommendation of R30 to R 6 for your attic.
Because the various options for your attic insulation have a different R-value per inch, the amount required to reach your desired R-value varies. The volume of material and the space required can directly impact your choice of attic insulation in Durham, NC. Durham Spray Foam Insulation will help you determine your best option for the specific construction of your home or business. |
What Are the Options?
At Durham Spray Foam Insulation, we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best products from which to choose and world-class service for peace of mind. We can do this because Durham Spray Foam Insulation offers a wide selection of attic insulation options to satisfy virtually any insulation requirement. Our skilled and highly trained installation crews understand precisely how to make your home as safe and comfortable as it can be.
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Fiberglass Batt InsulationMost everyone is familiar with this type of insulation. It is relatively inexpensive and available at your local hardware store. Fiberglass batt insulation is also straightforward to install. For both of these reasons, many consumers take this route for attic insulation in Durham, NC.
However, fiberglass is the least effective of all attic insulation we will discuss. It can be difficult or impossible to seal all the gaps and leaks effectively. Plus, over time, fiberglass can lose some of its effectiveness. |
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Cellulose Attic InsulationCellulose insulation is recycled, ground-up paper treated for insect control, and fire resistance. With an R-value of about 3.5 per inch, it rates above fiberglass for efficiency. Although it does not perform as an air barrier, the material is dense enough to prevent most air movement.
One issue with this insulation type is that cellulose creates an enormous amount of dust when installed and will do so whenever it is disturbed. With an R-value of 3.5, cellulose still takes a fair amount of material to reach your desired efficiency. Unlike spray foam, cellulose is not moisture resistant, nor is it an air barrier or vapor barrier. When exposed to moisture, cellulose can lose efficiency and becomes susceptible to mold issues; a problem you do not want with your attic insulation in Durham, NC. |
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Loose-Fill Fiberglass InsulationSimilar to cellulose insulation, loose-fill Fiberglas is blown in to fill around structures and existing batt insulation. It is, however, less effective with a lower R-value than cellulose at about 2.5 per inch. Modern fiberglass materials are a bit more effective over time than earlier generations. However, it is still one of the least efficient materials for attic insulation in Durham, NC.
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Spray Foam InsulationBy far, spray foam insulation delivers the best results of any insulation available for use in your attic. A big part of this is due to its exceptional R-value, which ranges from 3.5 to 6.5 per inch, which is up to twice that of the other products for attic insulation.
Another advantage of spray foam insulation is that it will fill all the little gaps and crevices to eliminate any air leaks and transfer of conditioned air with proper installation. The application of 2 inches of closed cell spray foam also acts as a moisture barrier to further protect your home or business in Durham, North Carolina. As you can see, there are several options to choose from when you decide to have Durham Spray Foam Insulation protect your comfort and investment. The obvious winner in this Durham, NC attic insulation comparison is spray foam insulation. While the upfront cost for spray foam insulation is higher than the other methods, it delivers far superior performance compared to any of the others; better protection, more thorough coverage, and a lifetime of service instead of a number of years. |
Attics in Existing HomesIf your home is older, your attic insulation is likely insufficient. It is not uncommon that attic insulation is an overlooked maintenance item. The chances are that the insulation in your home's attic was installed when it was built.
Durham Spray Foam Insulation will gladly assist you in auditing your attic's existing insulation and make recommendations for improvements. Once your audit is complete, we will work closely with you to explain your attic insulation options and help you make an informed decision. We often find that the careful application of spray foam attic insulation sufficiently augments the existing insulation in many older homes and attics. Of course, the ideal choice would be to remove old ineffective, and sometimes unhealthy insulation and replace it with the much more effective spray foam attic insulation in your Durham, NC home or business. |
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New HomesWhen building a new home or buying one which is under construction, the job of installing attic insulation is much easier. During the construction process, our Durham Spray Foam Insulation professional installation team can easily access all the necessary structures and voids.
Construction is an ideal time for the use of spray foam insulation throughout. Not only is there better access for installation, but you also escape the mess and the orders associated with the various materials. Spray foam insulation requires a curing period (approximately 24 hours) during which the material will naturally off-gas. Since you do not want to be present for those 24 hours, applying spray foam insulation to new construction will be less intrusive than existing buildings. |
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Do It Your Self Attic Insulation
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As we mentioned in the beginning, your attic's insulation in Durham, NC is among the most crucial areas in your home or business. Durham Spray Foam Insulation is your best choice for all insulation types in the Durham, North Carolina area.
But, maybe you are considering a do-it-yourself attic insulation project. It is understandable that you want to save some money or that you might believe that attic insulation is simple and straightforward; both assumptions are inaccurate. Suppose you are not familiar with construction in general and insulation specifically. In that case, it is most likely that a do-it-yourself project will not deliver the comfort or performance for which you are looking. Stopping air flow, protecting against moisture, and saving on energy costs are all dependent on the correct and complete installation of any insulation material. Most attics have extensive structural features and infrastructure like electrical and HVAC. Properly working with these elements can be a challenge even for a professional. A do-it-yourself spray foam attic insulation project is particularly problematic for the untrained consumer. Although the finished spray foam material in the walls and attic of your home or business is completely safe and inert, the raw compounds that create it are not. |
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The correct proportions and proper handling are critical for both safety and successful project. The components that make up spray foam insulation contain many volatile organic compounds that can be harmful if mishandled. On top of that, improper mixing of these components can cause your spray foam insulation to permanently off-gas because it cannot properly cure.
A situation like this must be corrected immediately. The vapors released by this potentially dangerous mixture are toxic and harmful to any occupants. The defective spray foam must be removed entirely. Then you will need a second application of spray foam insulation, a costly endeavor, indeed. All of us at Durham Spray Foam Insulation are committed to providing our neighbors and community with the very best in customer service, products, and installation for your attic insulation in Durham, NC.
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Get a Free Estimate Today
We are here for you at Durham Spray Foam Insulation. Call or email us today to find out more about how attic insulation in Durham, NC can help you be more comfortable and save money.
Please take a few minutes to speak with one of our friendly and professional customer service representatives to discuss your project and get some insight into the best solution for your Durham, NC attic insulation.
Please take a few minutes to speak with one of our friendly and professional customer service representatives to discuss your project and get some insight into the best solution for your Durham, NC attic insulation.