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Insulated concrete forms use hollow rigid foam insulation blocks that are stacked like bricks to form walls that are then reinforced with steel rebar and filled with poured concrete. These systems greatly reduce the amount of wood framing in exterior walls. The foam insulation creates a thermal...

Unvented Insulated Sloped Roofs

Guide describing construction of sloped roofs that are unvented and are insulated above the roof deck.

Crawl space with exterior insulation

Publication Date

Tue, 01/01/2013 - 12:00

FoamSeal Insulation Systems, Inc.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)

Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are a sandwich made up of foam insulation glued between two layers of sheathing (e.g., oriented strand board, magnesium oxide board, or drywall). SIP wall and roof panels are produced in a factory and come to the job site clean, dry, straight, and precisely made to...

Wrap batt insulation around pipe loosely enough not to compress the insulation and secure with wire or tape

Lower wall insulation installation

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Upper wall insulation installation

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Right - The basement foundation is insulated on the exterior and termite shield extends out past the top of the insulation.

Publication Date

Mon, 03/01/2021 - 12:00

Right - This concrete basement wall is insulated on the interior with spray foam insulation; sill detail are shown.

Publication Date

Tue, 01/01/2013 - 12:00

Spray foam insulation insulates and air seals around plumbing pipes and top plates in the attic.

Properly installed rigid insulation

Insulated header made of one piece of plywood aligned with exterior wall, with room for insulation to inside

Publication Date

Mon, 02/01/2010 - 12:00

Building with Structural Insulated Panels

Author(s)

Morley Michael

Organization(s)

Taunton Press

Publication Date

January, 2000

An online learning management resource for the construction community.

Double Walls for More Insulation

Guide describing construction and insulation techniques for double wall framing.

Rigid Insulation Over Aggregate

DWG

PDF

Sealing the vent area insulation

Publication Date

Tue, 01/01/2013 - 12:00

Wrong – Insulation is in direct contact with this non-insulation contact (IC)-rated recessed light fixture

Insulate the porch-attic wall making sure the insulation fully aligns with the inside wall sheathing

How To Install Batt Insulation (3/3): Fiber Glass & Rock Wool Batt Insulation Inspection (rev)

Publication Date

November, 2012

Author(s)

Advanced Energy

Organization(s)

Advanced Energy

Brian Coble, Director of High Performance Homes for Advanced Energy provides best practices on "Proper Installation of Insulation" as he walks viewers through an ENERGY STAR Home and points out every area of a home that must be insulated to meet RESNET Grade 1 Insulation Installation Requirements...

Right - The poured concrete basement walls are insulated along the inside with 2.5 inches of extruded polystyrene insulation.

Batt insulation is installed in two layers in perpendicular directions against the baffle to full required insulation height

Publication Date

Thu, 09/10/2015 - 12:00

Insulation Installation Achieves RESNET Grade 1

Guide describing RESNET Grade 1 level installation of insulation in walls, attics, and floors.

This hot climate zone home uses high quality batt insulation to insulate truss-joist headers.

Publication Date

Thu, 01/01/2015 - 12:00

Estimating the Payback Period of Additional Insulation

Author(s)

Green Fit Homes

Organization(s)

GFH

Publication Date

January, 2014

Homebuilding’s simple payback estimator for an insulation upgrade – the type and amount of insulation, square footage of the area, recent utility bill, and a quote from insulation contractor.

Batt Insulation for Existing Exterior Walls

Guide describing how to achieve RESNET Grade 1 installation standards, and meet/exceed code using batt insulation in existing walls.

Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA)

Publication Date

December, 2022

CIMA is a trade association made up of cellulose insulation producers and affiliated members in the United States and Canada dedicated to ensuring the highest quality cellulose insulation products and standards.

Measure Guideline: Basement Insulation Basics

Author(s)

Aldrich Robb,

Mantha Pallavi,

Puttagunta Srikanth

Organization(s)

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Publication Date

October, 2012

Document describing good practices for insulating basements in new and existing homes.

Mechanical Insulation Design Guide - Installation

Author(s)

National Mechanical Insulation Committee

Organization(s)

NMIC

Publication Date

January, 2017

Web resource that lays out the pre-work considerations, methods and finishes for installing mechanical insulation.

Right – Insulation is properly installed

Publication Date

Fri, 10/28/2011 - 12:00

Insulating Existing Floors over Garage

Guide with information about how to upgrade a garage ceiling when a portion of the interior of the house is located directly above the attached garage by adding insulation and air sealing.

Truss wall with cellulose insulation

Publication Date

Sun, 03/01/2009 - 12:00

Wrong – Cantilever is not blocked or insulated.

Publication Date

Fri, 10/28/2011 - 12:00

Batt Insulation for Existing Vented Attics

Guide describing how to increase insulation in existing homes by installing batt insulation on the ceiling plane of a vented attic.

Blown Insulation for Existing Vented Attic

Guide describing how to insulate a vented attic in an existing home using blown insulation added to the attic floor.

Attic Eave Minimum Insulation (3)

Publication Date

July, 2015

Video describing raised heel trusses for minimum attic eave insulation.

Stucco Over Rigid Foam Insulation

Guide describing how to install stucco over rigid foam insulation in new and existing homes.

Adding Insulation when Re-Siding

Author(s)

Gilbride Theresa L

Organization(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Publication Date

June, 2023

Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.

How to Finish Exterior Foundation Insulation

Author(s)

Green Building Advisor

Organization(s)

GBA

Publication Date

July, 2020

Website that explains and provides diagrams for covering up above-grade rigid foam insulation.

3-stud corner with rigid insulation

DWG

PDF

Foil Bubble Pack: Subslab Insulation?

Author(s)

Fulger Don

Organization(s)

Home Energy

Publication Date

November, 2004

Article describing the effective R-values of various subslab insulation products, including foil bubble pack.

Installation of Cavity Insulation, Info-501

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

May, 2009

Article explaining installing cavity insulation.

Basement Insulation Systems, BA-0202

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

November, 2002

Report describing approaches to insulating basements in homes built to meet Energy Star levels of performance of heat loss reduction.

How to Insulate around Plumbing Pipes

Publication Date

January, 2012

Author(s)

Bindford

Video about properly insulating around plumbing pipes to prevent freezing.

Selecting Healthy Insulation and Air Sealants

Author(s)

Rebecca Stamm,

Roberto Valle Kinloch

Organization(s)

Healthy Building Network,

HomeFree,

EEBA

Webinar from Rebecca Stamm of Healthy Building Network and Roberto Valle of HomeFree describing policies surrounding environmental and human health impacts of insulation and air sealing materials. Free EEBA login required.

How to Grade the Installation Quality of Insulation

Author(s)

Bailes

Organization(s)

Energy Vanguard

Publication Date

July, 2012

Article describing RESNET’s insulation grading levels.

Attic Eave Minimum Insulation (1)

Publication Date

July, 2015

Video describing how to install batt insulation.

Performance of Windows in Walls With Continuous Insulation

Author(s)

Peavey John,

Shah Nay B

Organization(s)

Home Innovation Research Labs,

HIRL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Publication Date

March, 2023

Technical report describing research aimed to provide window manufacturers with foundational guidance for installing windows in walls with continuous insulation (CI), addressing critical aspects such as evaluating common installation methods, establishing acceptance criteria for window performance...

Attic Eave Minimum Insulation (2)

Publication Date

July, 2015

Video describing how to properly insulate attic eaves.

Batt insulation should be cut to fit around wiring so that insulation can completely fill the wall cavity

Publication Date

Thu, 01/01/2009 - 12:00

Exterior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

Guide describing how to insulate a new foundation wall or an existing foundation wall by adding rigid insulation to the exterior side.

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)

Guide describing how to install insulated concrete forms to block excessive heat loss and gain though structural framing.

Continuous Rigid Insulation Sheathing/Siding

Author(s)

National Association of Home Builders Research Center,

U.S. Department of Energy,

Green Building Advisor,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Organization(s)

NAHB Research Center,

DOE,

GBA,

ORNL,

EPA

Publication Date

August, 2013

Document presenting step-by-step process for installing rigid insulating sheathing over wood studs or house wrap.

Structural Insulated Panel Connection Details

Author(s)

Structural Insulated Panel Association

Organization(s)

SIPA

Publication Date

August, 2021

Taped Insulating Sheathing Drainage Planes

Guide describing techniques for installing insulating sheathing as a continuous drainage plane on walls.

How to Build an Insulated Cathedral Ceiling

Author(s)

Holladay Martin

Organization(s)

Green Building Advisor

Publication Date

November, 2011

Information sheet presenting the correct methods for building an insulated cathedral ceiling.

The Truth about insulation in a hot climate

Publication Date

March, 2019

Author(s)

Horizon Energy

Organization(s)

Horizon Energy

Video from Horizon Energy on thermodynamics relating to insulation in attics of homes located in hot climates.

Material Properties of Rigid foam Insulation

Publication Date

Mon, 10/01/2007 - 12:00

Ducts Buried in Attic Insulation and Encapsulated

Guide describing approaches to burying and encapsulating ducts in unconditioned attics to increase the overall R-value of duct insulation.

Basement Insulation Technology Fact Sheet

Author(s)

Southface Energy Institute

Organization(s)

SEI,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Publication Date

January, 2002

Fact sheet describing basement insulation considerations.

Vented crawl space with insulation in the ceiling

Publication Date

Tue, 01/01/2013 - 12:00

Concrete crawlspace wall with exterior insulation.

Publication Date

Tue, 01/01/2013 - 12:00

Air seal and insulate flex ducts

Publication Date

Fri, 10/28/2011 - 12:00

Install bottom layer of rigid insulation

Insulation for Existing Crawl Space Floors

Guide describing how to upgrade a crawlspace floor in an existing home by adding insulation.

Duct insulation is installed over boot

Insulation does not cover boot and is not sealed

Duct is located in unconditioned space and is not insulated

Wrong - Batt insulation installed backward

Wrong - Cavity insulation not installed properly

Batt insulation is installed at the attic floor

Publication Date

Thu, 09/10/2015 - 12:00

Batt insulation is installed in two layers with offset seams against the baffle to full code-required insulation height

Publication Date

Thu, 09/10/2015 - 12:00

Cellulose insulation is sprayed into wall cavities.

Moisture can migrate from below the foundation to the basement wall and insulation cavity in a conventional blanket insulation installation

Publication Date

Thu, 10/26/2006 - 12:00

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)

This measure guides describes how to install structural insulated panels to block excessive heat loss and gain though structural framing.

Insulating sheathing is installed on exterior of an existing framed wall with water control between existing sheathing and insulating sheathing

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Wrong – Insulation will not be aligned with air barrier

Right – Battens are installed above the cork insulation to provide a ventilating layer between the insulation and the roof sheathing and cladding.

This heated garage plenum space is insulated along its top, bottom and sides, and the insulation at the top of the plenum meets IECC requirements. The insulation along the top and sides is fully aligned with an air barrier.

Publication Date

Sat, 09/14/2024 - 12:00

Masonry walls can be insulated with rigid foam insulation attached to the interior face of the concrete block as shown here.

Reference

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Humid Climate, Volume 15

Author(s)

Baechler Michael C,

Gilbride Theresa L,

Hefty Marye G,

Cole Pam C,

Adams Karen T,

Noonan Chrissy F,

Love Pat M

Organization(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

A guidebook helping builders in hot-humid climates design and construct homes for energy efficiency, durability, health, safety, and comfort.

Publication Date

Thu, 09/01/2011 - 12:00

Sealed and Insulated Fiber Board Ducts

Guide describing how to air seal and insulate fiber board ducts.

Failure in attic insulation effectiveness caused by wind washing pushing insulation away from the edges of the attic space.

Publication Date

Tue, 12/01/2009 - 12:00

Right - The underside of the attic roof deck is insulated with open-cell spray foam to provide an insulated space for HVAC equipment.

Publication Date

Fri, 01/01/2010 - 12:00

Right – Spray foam insulation was sprayed onto the ground and along the sides of the foundation walls and piers of this insulated crawl space.

Publication Date

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:00

Fill area around shield with insulation

Prepare chase with adhesive for bottom insulation

Right – Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) provide the insulated stem wall for the slab-on-grade foundation for this SIP house.

Publication Date

Thu, 09/30/2021 - 12:00