Wall Insulation

What Type of Insulation?

Many different materials can be used to build walls, and several products can be used to insulate them. A few guidelines for wall insulation:

• Pay special attention to the entire structure and the continuity of the air barrier (to counter infiltration problems) and vapour barrier (to counter humidity problems).
• Since you have large surfaces to cover, you can use conventional insulation for the walls of the first and second floors.
• If you decide to use fiberglass batts, take special care that the installation complies with RBQ standards.
• Carefully cover thermal bridges by using continuous insulation.

Same as for all insulation products, the vapour barrier must comply with the insulation regulations of the Québec Construction Code (2005).

Insulating With Fiberglass Batts

Although very popular, fiberglass batts is not the only material you can use to insulate walls:

• By using sprayed urethane foam you can – in a single application – avoid thermal bridges and perfectly seal your home’s building envelope, while benefiting from the following advantages:
  • A higher R-value (6 per inch)
  • An air barrier
  • A vapour barrier
• Injecting cellulose into wall cavities is another interesting option.