Best home insulation?

rawhide · Apr 29, 2019

I hope to draw from the vast experience of OSAers.

We're planning to build a new house and we want the best insulation we can afford. I've talked to a few builders, HVAC guys,1 former insulation installer and searched the internet. I am getting conflicting information.

I'm leaning toward foam insulation and heat pump but added cost will be around $5500. Net & blow and heat pump around $3200 with most of the cost in the heat pump. I've been told that blown fiberglass is best but don't have a $ amount for that yet.

My wife is afraid the foam will result in too much moisture and the problems that come with it. And how long will it take to recover the additional cost?

The "former" net/blow installer told me to expect to have more insulation blown a few years down the road due to settling in the walls.

What's the best new home insulation for central Oklahoma?

dennishoddy · Apr 29, 2019

I've been down your road, and found that the R-values of foam far outpace fiberglass in the walls. It's thick enough that moisture shouldn't be any issue as it just can't get in.
We have lived here for 30 years and have had the blown-in insulators in three times to reblow the ceiling as the cellulose insulation had settled.
The last guy mixed borax with the insulation and so far, it has worked the best and borax is a known bug killer. I'd go with foam in the walls though.

Jwryan84 · Apr 29, 2019

Foam in the walls and fiber in the attic. Foam in the walls won't settle and fiber in the attic won't settle and hold moisture.

Get radiant barrier sheathing and don't foam the roof as it holds moisture.

Parks 788 · Apr 29, 2019

rawhide said:
I hope to draw from the vast experience of OSAers.

We're planning to build a new house and we want the best insulation we can afford. I've talked to a few builders, HVAC guys,1 former insulation installer and searched the internet. I am getting conflicting information.

I'm leaning toward foam insulation and heat pump but added cost will be around $5500. Net & blow and heat pump around $3200 with most of the cost in the heat pump. I've been told that blown fiberglass is best but don't have a $ amount for that yet.

My wife is afraid the foam will result in too much moisture and the problems that come with it. And how long will it take to recover the additional cost?

The "former" net/blow installer told me to expect to have more insulation blown a few years down the road due to settling in the walls.

What's the best new home insulation for central Oklahoma?

Serious question. What does your wife know about spray foam insulation? Or did she only read "horror stories" from the internet? The reality is that spray foam can be the best insulation for home you will find. With any popular building trend, you will have any yahoo that happens to have a contractors license think he knows how to spray foam into walls and ceiling joists. Your job or the job of the general contractor is to make sure the spray foam installer is experienced, knows what he is doing and can effectively answer any and all questions and concerns you or your wife have on the product, installation, etc.

On a new build I would never do a blown in insulation. Just doesn't make sense. Especially if you have to come back in a couple years and have it done again due to settling.

If im building in OK I'm doing minimum 2x8 stud framing in the walls and oversized ceiling joists to create more R-value with thicker bat insulation if that is the route i'm going. Just make sure your insulation contractor is experienced and qualified no matter what product you choose.

Jwryan84 · Apr 29, 2019

Parks 788 said:
Serious question. What does your wife know about spray foam insulation? Or did she only read "horror stories" from the internet? The reality is that spray foam can be the best insulation for home you will find. With any popular building trend, you will have any yahoo that happens to have a contractors license think he knows how to spray foam into walls and ceiling joists. Your job or the job of the general contractor is to make sure the spray foam installer is experienced, knows what he is doing and can effectively answer any and all questions and concerns you or your wife have on the product, installation, etc.

On a new build I would never do a blown in insulation. Just doesn't make sense. Especially if you have to come back in a couple years and have it done again due to settling.

If im building in OK I'm doing minimum 2x8 stud framing in the walls and oversized ceiling joists to create more R-value with thicker bat insulation if that is the route i'm going. Just make sure your insulation contractor is experienced and qualified no matter what product you choose.

Skip the upgrade to 2x6 and go straight to 2x8, I like your style

NightShade · Apr 30, 2019

Foam and as thick as possible. Another one that works pretty well is rockwool. It is often used in conjunction with a layer of spray foam in new and remodel construction. Foam in and of itself can be flammable or noxious when flame is applied. It is something to think about and ask questions on as fire is always a possibility. If you REALLY want to save money you should look at something like staggered studs, think of it this way, even a 2X10 will conduct some heat through it. If you make your wall 8 inches thick but use 2X4's in a staggered pattern you can prevent the heat transfer. Another option is to insulate the whole outside, instead of putting sheathing on and then insulating between the studs you take and put thick foam panels on the whole outside of the building. There are video's on youtube that show it done at a place in Texas, you go inside the house and you see the studs and the sheathing but a flir camera shows no heat loss.

Another thing to think about is using a geothermal heat pump. Basically instead of having a coil where the transfer is done to air you have a big line either ran deep into the ground multiple times the same way a water well is drilled or you run a coil in the ground a few feet down and transfer the heat from the ground. The ground is always going to stay fairly stable so in the blistering 100 degree days your system has the same efficiency to cool as on a 75 degree day.

Personally I would do a staggered stud build and then add two inch foam panels to the outside. Now I know that a house needs to breathe, however do you want it breathing damp hot air from the outside or climate controlled air from the inside.... Seal the outside up completely make sure all the foam joints are sealed and any edges are sealed, rockwool the exterior walls and any interior area's you want to stay quiet. Geothermal heat pump and a couple grid tie inverters and solar panels on the roof. The extra you spend will easily end up paying for itself before the house is paid off.

MacFromOK · Apr 30, 2019

Be aware that if you make a home completely airtight (or nearly so), you will need to provide for adequate ventilation.

There was a story in the news years ago about a family that suffocated because they had sealed everything off completely and didn't have enough fresh air intake. They eventually consumed all the available oxygen inside their home.

Not something you'd normally think about. :drunk2:

Chief Sapulpa · Apr 30, 2019

Consider BIBS; blow-in-blanket system; https://www.bibs.com/overview/insulation-basics/

montesa · Apr 30, 2019

I plan to build using this technique.

Best part, no need for Sheetrock.

TerryMiller · Apr 30, 2019

While I'm not an expert by any measure of insulation, I do definitely advise at least 2"x6" walls. Also, I'm just not sold on heat pumps. They don't seem to be all that good once temps get below 40 degrees.

Back many, many moons ago, we lived in the Oklahoma Panhandle on a farm/ranch, and with the frequency of power outages in the winter due to storms, we found having gas wall furnaces to be a great thing. Power went off, we still had heat. We knew a guy that was building a new home, and I asked him what he was doing for heat. He said central heat and air, so I mentioned having a wall furnace or two as well. Sure enough, the winter after he moved in, the power went off for over a week. He sure was glad that he had followed my suggestion.

However, I don't know if they even do wall furnaces any more.

Best home insulation?

rawhide

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dennishoddy

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Jwryan84

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Parks 788

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Jwryan84

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NightShade

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MacFromOK

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Chief Sapulpa

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montesa

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