Fiberglass is one of the most common forms of wall insulation.
If you are doing any remodeling or repair work, you should replace any insulation you remove with an equivalent or superior form of insulation. If you are adding on to your house, you need to use insulation that works at least as well as the insulation you already have. If you fail to do this, your house will be more uncomfortable than you are used to during the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Your heating and electricity bills will rise as well. Insulation's effectiveness is measured by a factor called its "R-value." The higher the R value of the insulation, the more effective it is at moderating both cold and hot weather.
Instructions
1. Cut a small hole into a sheet rock wall. Use the drill to start the hole and the hacksaw to make the cut. Make the hole large enough to fit a ruler and see into. Before cutting, consult your house plans to make sure that no electric wires or pipes lie behind the area you plan to cut.
2. Stick the ruler into the hole you made, and shine a flashlight into the wall to see it. Measure the thickness of the insulation behind the wall in inches.
3. Multiply the thickness in inches by 3 if the insulation is fiberglass. This is the minimum-value of your insulation. For example, if you have 6 inches of fiberglass, the minimum R-value is 6x3=18.
4. Multiply the thickness of the fiberglass by 4 to get the maximum possible R-value for fiberglass. For example, the maximum R-value of 6 inches of fiberglass is 6x4=24.
5. Multiply the thickness by 2.8 for the minimum R-value of mineral wool insulation. If you have 6 inches of mineral wool insulation, the minimum R-value is 6x2.8=16.8.
6. Multiply the thickness by 3.7 for the maximum R-vale for mineral wool. If you have 6 inches of mineral wool, the maximum R-value is 6x3.7=22.2.
7. Multiply the thickness by 3 for the minimum R-value if your insulation is cotton batting. If you have 6 inches of cotton batting, the minimum R-value is 6x3=18.
8. Multiply the thickness by 3.7 to find the maximum R-value for cotton batting. If you have 6 inches of cotton batting, the maximum R-value is 6x3.7=22.2.
9. Multiply the thickness by 3.6 for the minimum R-value of loose-fill cellulose insulation. If you have loose-fill cellulose 6 inches thick, the minimum R-value is 6x3.6=21.6.
10. Multiply the thickness by 4 for cellulose fill's maximum R-value. If you have loose-fill cellulose 6 inches thick, the minimum R-value is 6x4=24.
11. Multiply 3.6 by the thickness for the minimum R-value of foam insulation. If you have foam insulation 6 inches thick, the minimum R-value is 6x3.6=21.6.
12. Multiply 6.8 by the thickness for foam insulation's maximum R-value. If you have foam insulation that is 6 inches thick, the minimum R-value is 6x6.8=40.8.
13. Fill the hole you made in the sheet rock wall with spackle, using the putty knife. Scrape any excess away to make the spackle flush with the rest of the wall. Allow it to dry per the manufacturer's instructions. When it has dried, sand it until it is smooth and then paint it to match the color of the rest of your wall.
Related posts
Easy to build with, concrete block needs more work to become energy efficient.Concrete block construction has become increasingly popular because it is an economical way to build walls and an easy...
Fiberglass insulation prevents air movement through the walls.If your home remodeling project involves exposing any exterior walls in your home, take advantage of the situation to insulate (or re-...
Turning a plain wall into a rock wall is an extensive decorating project. For purposes of theater or party decoration, making a wall look like a rock is quite easy. The only challenge is the size...
Make a faux rock wall using basic craft supplies.When you have a block wall in your house that you feel looks unsightly, you can make the wall look more decorative by painting it. Although you cou...
Using primer can save you money in the long run.Also known as drywall and plaster board, sheet rock is a sheet of gypsum, sandwiched between two layers of thick, strong paper. It is used for inter...
