Insulation is required in the walls and ceilings of all homes. Depending on house style, insulation is also required in basement, crawl space areas and at the perimeter of house slabs. Most insulation relies on the entrapment of air in thousands of tiny pockets to be effective. These pockets restrict the passage of heat through the insulation. In cold climates, a vapor retarder must also be used in conjunction with insulation. Without a properly placed vapor retarder, the moist hot air would soon permeate the insulating material, thereby diminishing its effectiveness. The vapor retarder must be positioned correctly to work properly; that is, the retarder (normally plastic sheeting or foiled paper) must face the living (heated) area of the house.

Considerations
There are various types of insulation available, each with separate characteristics and insulation value. Each type has a different thermal value (R-Value) per inch of thickness. In general, the more extreme the temperature in any area, the higher the recommended R-Value. As a guide, the HouseMaster Technical Staff provides the following insulation (per inch) guide: FiberGlass -- 1.7-3.6 R-Value; Rock Wool Blanket – 3.1-3.7 R-Value; Perlite Loose – 2.5-2.8 R-Value; Extruded Polystyrene – 4.0-5.3 R-Value. From warm to cold climates, the minimum recommended insulation values are typically R19-30+ in ceilings and R13-19+ in walls.

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