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In s ul ati n g Y ou r H o u s e
While previous generations may Signs of insulation for new construction, with different
have been content to live in drafty problems values for different applications. It
houses, most people now want is important to know what your
In the winter
comfortable warm houses. A healthy local building code requires when
house today is well sealed, well n walls cold to touch planning new construction.
insulated and properly ventilated. n cold floors
Note: The way the insulation is
A well-insulated house is a bit n high heating costs installed plays a large role in its
like dressing for the weather. A n uneven heating levels within effectiveness. Compressing the
wool sweater will keep you warm building insulation, leaving air spaces around
if the wind is not blowing and it n mold growing on walls the insulation and allowing air
is not raining. On a windy, rainy movement in the insulation all
day, wearing a nylon shell over In the summer reduce the actual R value of the
your wool sweater helps keep n uncomfortably hot inside air insulation.
you reasonably dry and warm. A n high cooling costs
house is similar. On the outside, Effective insulation
n ineffectiveness of air systems
underneath the brick or siding, conditioning system
there is an air barrier that does the Effective insulation systems slow
same thing as the nylon—it keeps n mold growing in basement the movement of heat and deal
the wind from blowing through. Insulation with the movement of moisture at
Then there is the insulation (like effectiveness a reasonable cost. To do this, they
your sweater) and a vapour barrier, have the following:
R values and their metric equivalent,
which helps keep moisture away
RSI values, are a way of labelling n An air barrier, which prevents
from the house structure where it
the effectiveness of insulating the movement of interior or
can do damage.
materials. The higher the R value exterior air through the system.
or RSI value, the more resistance n Carefully filled cavities, which
the material has to the movement leave no gaps in or around the
of heat. Insulation products sold in insulation and which do not
Canada are labelled with R and RSI compress the insulation.
values. Provincial building codes
n A minimum of thermal bridges.
specify minimum R (or RSI) values
These are parts of the wall that,
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About Your House
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Table 1 Characteristics of common insulation materials
Insulation Material R/in. Appearance Advantages/Disadvantages
(RSI/m)
Batt-Type
Fibreglass 3.0–3.7 All batts come in plastic-wrapped bales. Readily available.
(21–26) The products are like fibrous blankets, about
1.2 m (48 in.) long and wide enough to fit snugly
between wall studs.
Mineral wool 2.8–3.7 Same as fibreglass. Somewhat better fire resistance and soundproofing
(19–26) qualities than fibreglass.
Cotton 3.0–3.7 Not readily available.
(21–26)
Loose-Fill
All loose-fill insulations typically require a professional installer.
Fibreglass 3.0–3.7 A very light fibrous fill, usually pink or yellow. Can be affected by air movement in attics.
(21–26)
Mineral fibre 2.8–3.7 A very light fibrous fill, usually brown.
(19–26)
Cellulose fibre 3.0–3.7 Fine particles usually grey in colour, denser than Provides more resistance to air movement than other
(21–26) glass or mineral fibre. loose fill insulations. Can have settlement problems if
not installed properly.
Board-Stock
Type I and II 3.6–4.4 White board of small—about 8 mm (0.3 in.) in Typically HCs used in production. Must be covered.
(expanded) (25–31) diameter—foam beads pressed together.
polystyrene or EPS
Type III and 4.5–5.0 Commonly blue or pink foam board. Works well in wet conditions, can act as a vapour
IV (extruded) (31–35) retarder. HFC usually used in production. Must
polystyrene or XPS be covered.
Rigid fibreglass 4.2–4.5 A dense mat of fibres, typically less rigid Drains water away. Sometimes hard to find.
(29–31) than polystyrene.
Rigid mineral fibre 4.2–4.5 See “Rigid fibreglass” above. Drains water away.
(29–31)
Polyisocyanurate 5.6–6.7 Foil-faced rigid foam. HFC usually used in production.
(39–46)
Spray-Applied
All spray-applied insulations fill cavities very well. They must be applied by a specialized contractor.
Wet-spray cellulose 3.0–3.7 Fine particles held in place by a binder.
(21–26)
Open-cell light 3.6 A soft, compressible spray foam that expands Can act as the air barrier if combined with another
density polyurethane (25) into the cavity. material. Must be covered with a vapour barrier.
Closed cell medium 5.5–6.0 A rigid spray foam that expands into the cavity Can act as the air barrier and vapour retarder.
density polyurethane (38–42) and sets up fairly rigid. HFC used in production. Must be covered.
Note: All values are approximate and for general comparison only. Some insulations may be irritants or hazardous during installation.
Consult manufacturers’ recommendations and insulation packaging for proper respiratory, eye and skin protection.
2 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
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bridging. Spacing the studs at
610 mm (24 in.) rather than
406 mm (16 in.) where possible
will also reduce thermal bridging.
Wall insulation
for existing
construction
The two most common wall types
are wood-frame and solid brick. In
a wood-frame wall, insulation (loose
fill and some foams) is typically
blown into the cavities through
holes that have been drilled through
the drywall or siding. In solid brick,
the largest cavity is usually 25 mm
(1 in.) wide, which is not enough
Figure 1 Effective thermal resistance: R 16.7 (RSI 2.94) for any significant increase in
R value. The builder must create a
with a lower R value, extend of the studs (rigid insulation). See cavity. Usually, a new cavity wall is
from the warm side to the cold Figure 1. During planning and built inside and insulated as a new
side of the insulation, giving heat installation, note the following: wall, or board stock and new siding
an easy escape. The structural are applied to the exterior. When
n The vapour retarder should
members in the wall will often planning a cavity wall retrofit,
be at or near the inside surface
be thermal bridges. remember the following:
of the insulation and would
n A vapour retarder, such as most commonly be 6 mm n The cost of getting at and
polyethylene sheeting, which (0.2 in.) polyethylene sheeting repairing the walls is a significant
prevents moisture from moving at the inside face of the studs or part of the work and cost of the
from warm interior spaces into a vapour-retardant paint on the project.
colder building envelope where it finished drywall.
could condense. n Both air and vapour barriers are
n The air barrier can be provided required. The interior painted
n Drying potential, which is the by the polyethylene vapour drywall can be both an air and
ability of the insulated assembly retarder, by the interior drywall vapour barrier, but details at
to release any moisture that gets or by air-barrier sheeting on windows, electrical outlets, floors
into the system. the exterior face of the studs. and other penetrations must
Wall insulation for In all cases, the air barrier be done carefully to reduce air
new construction must be carefully detailed to be movement through the wall as
continuous at all penetrations. much as possible. Air movement
Typically, this is a wood-frame wall
n Adding rigid (board-stock) can lead to mold growth and
with the potential for insulation
insulation to the outside face decay of the walls, as well as loss
in the stud cavity (batts or spray-
of the studs minimizes thermal of insulation efficiency.
applied) and on the exterior face
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 3
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n An insulation must be selected Basement insulation Interior insulation can be used.
that will completely fill the Basement walls are unique because This can be done when finishing
cavity and not settle. Some they must handle significant the basement by using batt
insulations, such as foams, can moisture flows from both inside insulation in the stud cavities or
provide reasonable air barriers and outside the house. The by installing extruded polystyrene
themselves. preferred method, from a building and strapping on the face of the
science perspective, is to insulate perimeter walls. If the basement
Attic insulation
the wall on the outside with rigid won’t be finished, you can install
The attic is often the most cost- rolls of polyethylene-encapsulated
insulation suitable for below-grade
effective place to add insulation. fibreglass over the wall. The
installations, such as extruded
Usually, a contractor blows loose advantages of interior installation
polystyrene or rigid fibreglass.
fill into and over the top of ceiling are cost and ease of construction.
joists. For the do-it-yourselfer, batts The advantages are as follows: The disadvantages of interior
laid sideways on existing insulation n Insulating the outside of the installations are as follows:
are an easy alternative. basement works well with n The basement walls are now at
n The air barrier at the ceiling line dampproofing and foundation the temperature of the soil or the
must be tight to ensure warm drainage. Rigid fibreglass or outside. Any moist air moving
moist air from the house does mineral wool acts as a drainage through the wall from the inside
not get into the cold attic and layer, keeping surface and will condense on the wall.
condense in the winter. Check ground water away from the
n Usually, there is a moisture
ceiling light fixtures, the tops of foundation.
barrier against the foundation
interior walls and penetrations The basement walls are kept at
n
wall and a vapour retarder on the
such as plumbing stacks for air room temperature, protecting room side of the insulation. As a
leakage. the structure, reducing the risk result, the wall has poor drying
n Ensure that soffit venting is not of interior condensation and potential.
blocked by added insulation; increasing comfort.
Never apply interior insulation to a
baffles may have to be installed. The disadvantages are the disturbance basement with moisture problems.
of landscaping, the need to cover Fix the moisture entry problems
the insulation above grade, and the before insulating (see CMHC’s
relatively high cost. publication A Guide to Fixing
Your Damp Basement).
4 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
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Is it cost-effective The final analysis
to insulate? If your home is poorly insulated, it
The right insulation system can save usually pays to upgrade the insulation.
you money, reduce the amount of If you are building a new home, it
energy you use and make your home makes sense to insulate well now, so
more comfortable. Keep in mind that you don’t need to retrofit later.
installation costs (including changes
to the framing, cladding, and finishes)
are usually the most expensive part
of an insulation project. The local
climate has an impact on the cost-
effectiveness of any insulating project.
Check the cost, heat loss and heat
gain of all available options. Review
all details to ensure that moisture
movement is handled correctly. You
can then select the right insulating
system. When in doubt, consult a
professional.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 5
About Your House
Ins ula t i ng Y our H ouse
To find more About Your House fact sheets plus a wide variety of
information products, visit our website at www.cmhc.ca. You can also
reach us by telephone at 1-800-668-2642 or by fax at 1-800-245-9274.
Priced Publications
A Guide to Fixing Your Damp Basement Order No. 65886
Canadian Wood-Frame House Construction Order No. 61010
Healthy HousingTM Renovation Planner Order No. 60957
Free Publications
About Your House fact sheets
Attic Venting, Attic Moisture, and Ice Dams Order No. 62034
Before You Start Renovating Your Basement—Moisture Problems Order No. 62250
Renovating for Energy Savings case studies
1960s or 70s One-Storey Homes Order No. 63706
Common Additions Order No. 63718
Duplexes and Triplexes Order No. 63714
Homes with Walkout Basements Order No. 63716
Mobile Homes Order No. 63712
Post-60s Two-Storey Homes Order No. 63681
Post-War 11⁄2-Storey Homes Order No. 63704
Pre-World War II Houses Order No. 63643
Row Houses Order No. 63720
Split Entry Homes Order No. 63710
Split-Level Homes Order No. 63708
©1999, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Printed in Canada
Produced by CMHC 28-10-09
Revised 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009
Although this information product reflects housing experts’ current knowledge, it is provided for general information purposes only.
Any reliance or action taken based on the information, materials and techniques described are the responsibility of the user. Readers
are advised to consult appropriate professional resources to determine what is safe and suitable in their particular case. Canada Mortgage and
62039
Housing Corporation assumes no responsibility for any consequence arising from use of the information, materials and techniques described.
