Insulation is used in housing and buildings across the globe but how does it work? We know that it helps reduce heat loss and improves air flow around a home but what makes it work? Well essentially insulation is used to create a type of barrier between the inside and outside of your home. It sounds all very simple but in fact many things are happening within the home that we cannot see.

Insulation is used to control heat movement which happens in a number of ways. They are radiation, conduction and convention. Radiation is not visible to the human eye but works by using electromagnetic light waves. This type heat of transfer in the home is very common and in winter warm object can radiate (heat loss) heat through uninsulated areas such as windows.

Convection is the transfer of heat energy (movement currents) from liquids and gasses. For example in a cup of boiling water the hot air will rise and dispense through the air while the cool air will fall. Inadequate insulation can lead to problems such as condensation.

Finally you have conduction which is the transfer of heat through objects. This is an area for careful consideration when developing insulation. A poorly insulated roof for example could allow valuable heat to escape through conduction.

Insulation manufacturers have to take each of these forces in to consideration and design insulation that restricts them in efficient and effective ways. Different types of insulation are more effective in certain situations than others and in all cases must be placed in the right areas of a home. It should be noted that insulation does not stop heat movement but in fact slows the movement of heat transfer down. Insulation is designed to absorb heat and provide a balanced and efficient home.

Further Reading
BBC – Explaining Insulation
Convection, Conduction & Radiation

image courtesy of: thingermejig on Flickr

 

Tags: How Does Insulation Work, how insulation works, insulation work