Polystyrene insulation is a lightweight and easy-to-install option for home insulation, but has lower insulating properties than fiberglass. It is inexpensive and comes in large sheets, but cannot absorb moisture and is incompatible with most electrical wires.
Polystyrene insulation is a type of insulation commonly found in home construction. The lightweight material is less irritating to install than fiberglass and is easily cut to fit walls and ceilings. However, its insulating factor is much lower than that of a comparable fiberglass bat. One advantage it offers is that it is relatively inexpensive. Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of this material is its inability to absorb moisture.
Insulation does two things when installed correctly: it retains heat in the winter and reflects heat during the summer. While fiberglass insulation is more commonly known to the average homeowner, polystyrene insulation is a viable option for most insulation needs. However, it has some drawbacks and advantages that should be looked into before installing it. The ease of installation and the absence of skin irritations are one of the advantages of using polystyrene. More commonly known as pink cardboard or blue Styrofoam, this insulation comes in large square sheets that are scored with a knife for easy separation into intervals that correspond to the most common stud spacings.
The easily separable structure is an advantage for this type of insulation and is responsible for saving time in many installations. The board-like configuration prevents sagging and falling over time, which helps prevent hot and cold spots in any exterior wall. The most problematic feature of Styrofoam board is its inability to wick moisture away from the structure. The smooth finish of the foam board is water resistant; therefore, any moisture trapped in the wall will remain in the wall without a way to escape.
Another disadvantage of polystyrene insulation is its incompatibility with most electrical wires. The protective plastic coating used on most electrical wires will wear away prematurely if it comes into contact with foam insulation. This can lead to electric shock and fire which could potentially injure or kill the occupants of the structure and could cause the loss of the structure itself. Some manufacturers offer wiring with a special purple coating that won’t be damaged by the insulation, but this can eliminate any cost savings from using polystyrene instead of fiberglass insulation.
This type of foam insulation also has relatively low insulating properties compared to fiberglass bat-type insulation. Styrofoam must be applied in multiple layers to achieve the same rating as a single bat of fiberglass mat. When installed between the roof rafters of a structure, however, foam adds a layer of insulation that saves energy and is efficient.
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