Do Internal Walls Need to be Insulated?

When thinking about home renovations, the question of whether to insulate interior walls often arises. If you’re curious if your interior walls are insulated and whether it’s worth adding some insulation if they’re not, the information in this article can help you decide.

Are Interior Walls Usually Insulated?

Usually, interior walls in a home do not contain insulation. Interior walls are commonly left uninsulated during construction because the energy efficiency benefits are less than insulating exterior walls, floors and ceilings. Province and local codes don’t call for interior insulation, so in most cases it’s only added if the homebuyer specifically instructs the builder to add the extra insulation. If you were not part of the building process, assume your home’s interior walls are not insulated.

Is it Worth Insulating Interior Walls?

You may want to insulate your interior walls for several reasons:

• Energy efficiency: Insulating interior walls helps preserve a stable temperature in different rooms in your home, increasing comfort and lessening the strain on your heating and cooling system.
• Stopping the spread of sound: When you add insulation to interior walls, you significantly reduce the amount of sound moving from one room to another. This is very useful for creating a quiet and calm home office or nursery. It also helps keep music room or home theater room noise from disturbing family members in other rooms.
• Moisture protection: Certain types of wall insulation act as a moisture barrier, controlling the buildup of dampness inside the walls of high-humidity spaces, such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. Stopping moisture from getting into these walls lowers the risk of mold, which can undermine indoor air quality and your home’s structural integrity.
• Fire protection: Some varieties of insulation materials are fire-resistant, adding an extra degree of safety. In the event of a fire, insulated interior walls slow the spread of flames, giving you and your family more time to evacuate and potentially saving your property from considerable damage.

What Type of Insulation Is Used for Interior Walls?

The right material for your interior wall insulation project varies according to your specific needs and goals. Here are some different forms to consider:

• Loose-fill insulation is ideal for situations where walls are already up, as it can be blown into the interior of the walls through small openings that are very easy to patch afterward. Because you don’t need an extensive renovation, this is a way to keep the cost and construction mess to a minimum.
• Spray foam insulation expands to fill cavities, cracks and gaps, making it great for unusual spots or next to obstructions. It also features outstanding thermal qualities and is good at reducing sound. Spray foam is a great choice if you’re building new interior walls, but it is more expensive than some other choices.
• Fiberglass batts are a common, cost-effective option that are easy to install in new construction or home improvement projects where walls are open. They provide good thermal performance but require careful installation to avoid gaps.
• Mineral wool is denser than fiberglass, which makes it a superior option for fire resistance and soundproofing.
• Rigid foam board provides high insulation values in thin profiles, and therefore it is useful for new construction or major renovations that involve thin interior walls. Then again, it cannot be installed if walls are already closed—they must still be open.

More Ways to Enhance Home Efficiency

Although insulating interior walls has perks, it doesn’t do very much to minimize your utility bills. If efficiency is your primary focus, try these improvements to yield more significant results:

• Put in more attic insulation: This is the most effective location to add insulation to a finished home. A nice, thick layer of attic insulation keeps heat from escaping in the winter and seeping in through the ceiling in the summer.
• Close air leaks: This requires finding and fixing leaks around doors, windows and other openings in exterior walls to stop warm or cool air from escaping. Caulk, weatherstripping and expanding spray foam are the most useful tools for this task.
• Install double-pane windows: If your home still has old, single-pane windows, think about installing double-pane models for more insulation. This is an up-front expense but helps keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler and more comfortable in the summer.
• Upgrade to a smart thermostat: Thermostats with learning capabilities can adapt your home’s temperature based on your habits and preferences, optimizing energy use and lowering your utility bills.
• Replace old HVAC equipment: A new, energy-efficient furnace and air conditioner uses less energy to heat and cool your home than older and more inefficient models.

Questions about Insulation in Edmonton? Call the Experts at Rob's Albertan Service Experts

Rob's Albertan Service Experts can help with many of your home remodeling goals. If it’s related to HVAC, plumbing or electrical, our experienced team can help! The certified technicians at Rob's Albertan Service Experts provide prompt, durable solutions with guaranteed results. If you’re not completely happy with our work, we promise to make it right. For innovative solutions and expert service tailored to your unique needs, call 780-800-9047 today to reach the team at Rob's Albertan Service Experts.