There are many types of insulation you can use in your home. Some of the most common types are fiberglass, cellulose, and rigid foam board. Staying warm in the winter and saving money on your heating bills is on the top of most peoples minds. Though everybody’s favorite insulation material has for years been fiberglass, rigid foam insulation is pushing fiberglass off its throne. 
So when it comes to adding insulation to your present home many people are now thinking of foam insulation. This is especially common thinking in the northern climates where there are still a tremendous number of houses that are not insulated very well. Southern climates though also need to be concerned because of the cost of air conditioning.
There are many advantages to foam insulation when trying to add it to your present home that we can talk about here. When compared to fiberglass it has a number of attractive benefits.
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Number one on many people’s list is that it is much easier to work with. It is much lighter so it is easier to carry. It does not make your skin itchy like fiberglass.
- It is also an easy task to fasten a layer of foam insulation to the outside of your home before you install new siding to your house.
- The fact that it is denser than the typical fiberglass bats gives foam insulation better insulating qualities per inch of thickness and so thinner applications of the material can give a similar if not better level of protection from the cold.
- Reducing energy consumption reduces fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Foam has no ozone depleting chemicals, no formaldehyde, and no detectable volatile organic compounds. It is the right choice for the planet and the right choice for your project.
- The cost is a little more than fiberglass when comparing “R value” but you will be saving a lot of money on your gas bill. The “R value” is the measure of effectiveness of insulation. The R-value per inch of foam is twice that of fiberglass, but that is not where the difference ends. You need to look at the total R-value when considering foam insulation. The advertised R-value of fiberglass is only attainable when it is installed perfectly. When there are gaps and voids present, as in most home installations, the R-value is significantly reduced (up to 28%)! Any air movement through these gaps, such as wind, will defeat what the insulation is trying to achieve. When foam is used and it is fastened tight, it can eliminate air movement and therefore retain its full R-value.
While protection from the cold is on most of our minds as we talk about foam insulation, what most people forget is that protection from the cold in the winter is also protection from the heat coming into your house in the summer. So insulation has two main jobs no matter which material you may use. It gives us protection against heat escaping your house in the winter and heat coming into your house in the summer. Not only will it save you money in the winter and keep you warm, it will save you money in the summer keeping you cool.
If you are thinking of installing vinyl or any type of siding on your home or you have an addition in mind for your house, you might want to consider adding even a thin layer of foam insulation to the outside walls before you install the siding. You will be both hotter and cooler when you want to be, and not the other way around. This all means that the cost is not that much, especially when you consider how much you will be saving in the long run.
Bottom line: Your home will be quiet, clean, comfortable, and you won’t waste energy.