Lewis Insulation Blog Posts

Insulate that Metal Building to Keep Temperatures Regulated

Posted by & filed under Insulation Info.

At Lewis Insulation, we are frequently asked by business owners whether or not they should consider installing insulation for their Minneapolis metal-based buildings. These types of buildings are frequently found in the housing of animals (livestock), the protection of equipment (agricultural) and other general industrial tasks.

Insulation can provide a wide array of benefits for metal buildings which often are at the mercy of Mother Nature—however hot or cold it is outside it is proportionately hotter or colder than the outside air.

Take a look at the benefits insulation can provide for your metal building:

Absorb sound

The sounds that emerge within your metal buildings can echo loudly off of the walls and ceiling, creating a reverberation of sound in all directions. Insulation can help absorb these noises within the building and provide something of a mute for loud noises coming from outside of the building. An insulated metal building is a more peaceful, comfortable place for workers to operate in.

Control moisture

The drastic ups and downs of temperatures as well as the dropping of dew points can cause condensation to arise on cool metal surfaces. Metal buildings experience this on cool mornings, often resulting in a damp interior as the moisture condenses on the ceiling, dripping to the floor below. Insulating the ceiling can help prevent this from unfolding, both in keeping a temperature buffer and/or catching the moisture within, should it seep through.

Reduce heat transfer

The transfer of heat is an issue in metal buildings, with the extremes of temperature making heat a summer nuisance and cold a winter issue. Adding insulation can make for a warmer winter and a cooler summer within the metal walls once installation is installed as it helps reduce the metal’s heat transfer ability.

Rodent and bird nesting prevention

Having exposed beams and rafters that are desirable to rodents and birds (for nests), metal buildings are greatly benefitted by adding insulation. By filling in crevices with insulation, you can help deter these pests from making your building their new home.

No matter what type of metal building you want to add insulation to, Lewis Insulation has you covered. Whether you are part of the agricultural and farming industry or operate an airplane hangar—your barn, shed or other metal storage buildings likely require some degree of humidity and temperature control measures. We would likely install a spray foam type of insulation, applying wet and ultimately expanding into hard foam. A polyurethane blend, spray foam is perfect for the interiors of metal buildings.

For more information on commercial building insulation for your Minneapolis business, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us and get a Free Estimate.

The Science of Home Insulation

Posted by & filed under Residential Insulation.

In order to comprehend how insulation works within your home, one needs to grasp the concepts of general heat flow and three instruments that make it happen: Conduction, Convection and Radiation.

  • Conduction—Ways in which heat moves through materials. Think of pulling an item out of the oven—the heat felt through the oven mitt is an illustration of conduction. Home insulation slows conductive heat flow.
  • Convection—Ways heat circulates through liquids and gases. Hot air rises, cool air sinks. Home insulation slows convective heat flow.
  • Radiation—Refers to heat traveling in a straight line, heating anything solid that lies within its pathway. Home insulation reduces the acquisition of heat. It is most effective when directed toward airflow.

As a general rule, air travels from warmer to cooler until there is not a measurable difference in temperature. Thus, during the winter months hot air moves from heated areas to the colder unheated areas of your home—wherever there is a difference in temperature. Cold temperatures outside create the need for warmth inside, thus your home heating system compensates for the loss of heat. The opposite occurs during the hotter months of the year, the cold air lost is balanced out by your home cooling system. Home insulation is integral in decreasing this flow by offering resistance to the movement of heat.

All types of home insulation come with an “R-Value”, a rating applied to an insulation type’s ability to resist conductive heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective it is at insulating your home and is dependent upon the type of insulation, how thick it is and the density. So, the more layers of insulation stacked together and/or the more insulation in your home increases the overall R-value and thus, the overall resistance to heat flow.

A couple of factors will influence the R-value of your insulation. It comes down to how and where the insulation is placed. If compressed, or placed within the ceiling the R-value will be lesser than if the same piece was lying out in the open air, due to thermal bridging (area of an object which has a significantly higher heat transfer than the surrounding materials resulting in an overall reduction in thermal insulation of the object or building). So, when open gaps in a building are filled with insulation, they reduce convective heat loss.

A radiant barrier, looked upon as non-traditional insulation, reflects away the heat rather than absorbing it. So, a radiant barrier contains no R-value—the ability to reduce heat by reflecting it way from a space is the power of this type of home insulation.

For more information on home insulation in the Twin Cities area, call us at Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us and get a Free Estimate.

FAQs about Fiberglass Insulation

Posted by & filed under Fiberglass Insulation.

Lewis Insulation fiberglass insulation Eden PrairieAs a company that installs fiberglass insulation in Eden Prairie and throughout the surrounding area, we get a lot of questions about it. So we thought we would take the time to answer some of the ones that we hear the most often.

Q: What is fiberglass insulation?

A: Fiberglass insulation is a type of insulation that’s made out of very thin strands of glass. It is a man-made material and has a high surface area-to-weight ratio that makes it an ideal insulator for residential and commercial buildings. Nowadays, fiberglass insulation does not irritate the skin like it used to, and the manufacturing it is more environmentally friendly than it used to be. Many manufacturers nowadays are using recycled glass.

Q: What does R-value mean, and why is it so important?

A: R-value stands for “resistance value” and it measures an insulating material’s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation power that material has.

Q: What benefits will I enjoy with fiberglass insulation?

A: Fiberglass insulation is a cost-effective way to insulate your home or commercial property. Not only could you see some savings on your heating and cooling bills, but it can also help reduce noise pollution. It is also non-combustible and non-absorbent.

Q: What parts of my home should fiberglass insulation be installed in?

A: Fiberglass insulation can be installed just about anywhere in your house other than in the basement. For your basement, you should consider closed cell spray foam insulation instead, which we can also install.

Q: Why should I choose Lewis Insulation to install fiberglass insulation?

A: We are a professional insulation company, and one of our specialties is fiberglass insulation. We have several decades of experience under our belts, and we are fully licensed, bonded and insured for all of the work that we do. You can get a free estimate on how much new fiberglass insulation will cost too. Our technicians show up on time, as scheduled, and do the work quickly but without cutting any corners. We have helped countless homeowners throughout the past couple of decades, and we have many happy and satisfied customers.

Do you want to learn more about fiberglass insulation in Eden Prairie and throughout the surrounding areas? Call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us to set up a Free Estimate.

What You Should Know about Closed Cell Spray Foam Insulation

Posted by & filed under Spray Foam Insulation.

Lewis Insulation spray foam Maple GroveClosed cell spray foam insulation is fast becoming one of the most popular types of insulation for homes of all shapes and sizes. There are plenty of reasons for its growing popularity: a high R-value, a lack of settling and more. Lewis Insulation specializes in installing closed cell spray foam insulation in Maple Grove and the surrounding areas, and here are a few things you should know about this type of insulating material.

  • Closed cell spray foam insulation has one of the highest R-values on the market today. The R-value of insulation indicates how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better it is at this resistance.
  • Closed cell spray foam insulation works well in difficult to reach nooks and crannies, like attics and crawl spaces since it is sprayed onto these surfaces.
  • This type of insulation is not a do it yourself type job. You need to be specially trained, and you need to fully understand how to properly mix the chemicals used. It also cannot be installed by someone wearing everyday clothes. Special gear and masks are used by the installation team. And it takes a practiced hand to mix the chemicals correctly so the spray foam insulation can be properly applied.
  • These chemicals will be applied in a thin layer, which later expands to form a thicker layer. This dense foam weighs about two pounds per cubic foot and is impermeable to water and moisture. This is great news for those who are worried about mold or mildew problems.
  • One of the best parts about closed cell spray foam insulation is that there is not a lot of waste material once the installation job is complete.
  • Closed cell spray foam insulation does not work well in every single climate, although our climate in Minnesota suits this type of insulation quite well.
  • Closed cell spray foam insulation can also help reduce noise pollution, which is great news for those who live near busy roads, airports or other noisy areas.

These are only a few reasons you should consider closed cell spray foam insulation. Call us and we can tell you even more!

Are you interested in learning more about closed cell spray foam insulation in Maple Grove? Call us at Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us and set up a Free Estimate.

Common Myths about Foam Insulation

Posted by & filed under Spray Foam Insulation.

While many people are familiar with fiberglass insulation, it seems not as many know much about closed cell spray foam insulation. Twin Cities residents have been requesting this kind of insulation for years, and we sometimes hear a lot of myths and misconceptions when talking to homeowners about foam insulation and its benefits. Here are a few we hear the most often.

Myth: I don’t need to hire professionals to install this type of foam insulation.

Fact: Installing closed cell spray foam insulation is a job for the experts. This is not a good do it yourself project because foam insulation requires specific equipment and knowledge to properly install. If this is not done by the experts, it could be installed incorrectly and lead to more problems in the future.

Myth: Foam insulation is too expensive.

Fact: Foam insulation is quite affordable for most homeowners, and it offers a very high R-value, which makes it a great choice for homes of all shapes and sizes. This is an especially good benefit in areas that are susceptible to temperature extremes, like here in Minnesota.

Myth: Foam insulation will settle over the years and that means I’ll just have to have it installed again.

Fact: Foam insulation does not settle. It will last you for many years to come, and you will not have to worry about having it redone any time in the near future.

Do you want more information on foam insulation in the Twin Cities? Call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612 or you can contact us to get a Free Estimate.