It makes sense to insulate a garage if you are going to be heating the space. The same kinds of insulation materials can be used in the garage that is used for the rest of your home. However, there are some materials that are better than others, depending on whether or not your garage is finished. You should also consider insulating your garage door, and it has different installation requirements compared to what is needed on ceilings or walls. Fiberglass Insulation In garages, the most commonly used kind of insulation is fiberglass (it is also the most popular kind that is …
Thanks to the sheer volume of information available on the topic -- some accurate, some not, and some outdated -- it's all too easy to develop misconceptions about spray foam insulation. This is a building material that's experienced vast technological improvements in the recent past. Information on foam insulation that was accurate 20 years ago may be entirely incorrect today. There's also a wide enough range of different foam products that you can't trust too many blanket statements to accurately fit all foams. Common Foam Insulation Misconception False: Closed Cell …
If it has become expensive to cool or heat your home, or some of the rooms feel uncomfortable, in most cases air leaks are undoubtedly among the primary culprits. Air leakage occurs throughout your home, as the air that you have paid to condition escapes through openings. These processes force your HVAC system to work a lot harder and cause your home to become too hot over the summer months and too cold over the winter months. All attics have cracks and gaps that let air escape. This is partly due to flaws in the construction of the home, or from HVAC or electrical work, or from …
You have finally decided to get that insulation for your home but you are now wondering about the type of insulation to choose. There are a number of options available to you including cellulose, fiberglass, and spray or injection foam. It can be a daunting task to choose the right insulation for your home as there are a number of things you need to consider including: Cost of the insulating material Effectiveness of insulation material Long-term savings Insulation for Your Attic: Comparing Spray Foam Vs Fiberglass Vs Cellulose If you are experiencing difficulty in …
If you are living in the Twin Cities, you should expect cold winds, frosty mornings and heavy rain during the winter season. Yes, it’s exciting to wear the warm jackets, gloves, boots and scarves. However, it could be very frustrating if your home is not warm enough after a long cold day outside. Many families in Minnesota are struggling to keep their homes warm and comfortable during the winter season. They always end up using the heater and keep it on until the house becomes warm. However, if your home never seems to warm up there is a problem. If your home feels drafty and …
Roof ice dams can be a brutal fact of life in cold, snowy regions. For homeowners living in such places, making ice dam prevention is a crucial factor to consider when roofing your house. The significance of this issue is even greater since ice dam prevention materials are what roofing companies provide during cold climates. Therefore, it’s prudent and natural to be wary of add-ons provided by companies soliciting your particular business. So, what is ice dam prevention and do you need it? Impact of Ice Dams The ice dams’ effect is often not noticed until much later. Maybe in a …
Homeowners have one enemy in common, which is moisture. It has far-reaching implications from health consequences to structural damage. If the moisture level is too high, it can damage your home’s foundation. It accumulates on various surfaces thus causing the rotting of wood structures, the peeling of paint, and the short circuiting of electrical wirings. Pests such as termites, cockroaches, and other bugs also thrive in damp areas of the home. Dry, wet spots also promote the growth of mold thus leading to health problems, which include coughing, nasal stuffiness, throat …
The attic is one of the essential parts of your roof and the house in general. When kept in the best condition possible and properly-insulated, the attic will help repel anything from rodent infestations, strange smells, and even leaks into the house. In addition to this, sealing the attic helps create an envelope of warm air inside the house which translates to a more energy-efficient home in the long run. Proper attic insulation is essential for it helps seal cracks and crevices that moisture, animals, and heat might enter your attic. Here are some of the reasons and advantages of …
At MGT Insulation, we have insulation services for any application in your home or business. We start with a state-of-the-art infrared testing and blower door to identify any insulation problems that you may have. We then work with you to create a solution that works for you Some of the insulation applications available are: Attic Insulation, Sidewalls, Rim Joists, Crawl Spaces, Tuck Under Garages. The Insulation Products that we use are: Closed-Cell Spray Foam Insulation, Cellulose Insulation, Fiberglass Insulation, Foam Board Insulation. See our website for more …
Ice dams (and icicles) form when the snow melts, runs down your roof and refreezes near the edge. This only occurs when part of your roof warms to above 32 degrees F, warm enough to melt the snow, while the roof edge remains below freezing. This is often the result of a warm attic. In most homes, heat escapes through ceilings into the attic and warms the wood and shingles directly above it. Although the outdoor temperature is below freezing, the snow melts over the warmed section of roof. When the melted water runs down the roof, it hits the cold edge not warmed by the attic. There …
You’re probably aware that most attics and roofs are vented. Maybe you’ve seen a fan in the side of your attic under the eaves, or maybe you’re aware of the ridge cap at the peak of your roof. What you may not know, however, is that most homes don’t have enough attic ventilation, and that this lack of adequate ventilation can be raising your energy bills and doing damage to your home. Proper attic ventilation is an important part of overall roof maintenance. Attic ventilation is important to keep the air flowing through your attic, rather than simply letting it sit. Ventilation …
Foam board insulation is a great alternative to the very common fiberglass batt insulation that is in most of our homes. It has a higher R-Value per inch of thickness, it’s resistant to moisture and is easy to work with. Because of its resistance to moisture, foam board insulation is a great choice whenever and wherever there is a chance it could get wet, such as: an exterior foundation, inside a basement against the foundation, and on the outside of a house beneath a house wrap. Foam board insulation is more expensive than traditional batt insulation, so use it only when moisture …
Spray foam insulation, also known as foaming insulation or sprayed insulation, is a two-part liquid insulation that insulates and air seals wherever it is applied. The material comes in two large 55 gallon drums – an iso and a resin. These two liquids are kept separate until applied at the jobsite by a qualified, licensed spray foam installer. The two liquids travel up through a heated hose to the spray gun where they are combined to create the foam. The foam expands within seconds to fill the cavity surface. Depending on the type of sprayed-in foam insulation used, closed-cell or …
When it comes to insulating your home, there are two commonly used materials to do the job, fiberglass and cellulose. Both materials improve the energy efficiency of your home but do so in different ways. R-Value R-values refer to how well an insulation performs at blocking thermal transfer. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation performs. Fiberglass and cellulose have similar R-values, with ranges depending on how and where they are installed. Because fiberglass comes in batts or blown-in insulation and both materials can be loosely or densely installed, this can change …
MGT Insulation is now hiring for Crew members! Please apply with our online application, we look forward to hearing from you! Crew Job Description: Crew installs energy-efficiency measures to building structures using a variety of building science best practices to improve, safety, comfort, durability, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency. Crew gets the job done. Click the link below to begin your application! http://www.mgtinsulation.com/about/careers/ …
All the insulation in the world won’t help your home if your doors are leaking air. The good news is that it’s easy to test for and fix air leaks, and doing so can have a big impact. Not only will sealing air leaks cut heating and cooling costs, but it will also increase the comfort level of your home, improve durability, and create a healthier environment inside the home. At MGT Insulation, we use blower door testing to determine whether your house has air leaks, and to find where those leaks are coming from. This testing involves fitting an adjustable aluminum frame wrapped in …
Winter in Minnesota means snow and ice. This creates the beautiful winter landscape that many of us treasure, but it can also lead to roof and home damage caused by ice dams. So how can ice dams be treated – or better yet, prevented? First, let’s examine the cause of ice dams. When snow accumulates on a rooftop, it can begin melting almost instantaneously, due to the heat from the sun or from inside the building, or simply from warmer weather conditions. The melted snow runs down the roof and, often begins to cool once more. When it freezes, an ice dam begins to form. As winter …