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Three Ways Heat is Transferred
 | | Thermal Imaging Photo Courtesy of Energy Trust of Oregon | Heat is transferred in three ways. Establishing a "thermal boundary" by creating air and insulation barriers diminishes heat transfer, which creates a more efficient and comfortable home. This is why we always suggest air sealing in combination with insulating.
- Conduction - conduction is energy or heat transferred through solid objects - creating an insulation barrier (insulation) reduces conductive heat loss.
- Convection - convection is energy or heat transferred by air movement - creating a complete air barrier (air sealing) prevents convective heat loss.
- Radiation - radiation is energy or heat that travels through waves - insulation and a radiant barriers reduce radiant heat loss and gain.
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Creating the Insulation Barrier
Whether it's winter or summer, insulation makes your home more comfortable. A properly insulated home helps keep your home at your desired temperature. Like a sweater, insulation helps contain heat in the winter, but it also insulates against radiant heat in the summer. |
Creating the Air Barrier
Just as a sweater doesn't keep you warm in windy conditions, neither does insulation alone. Insulation does not fix, fill, or prevent air leaks except in the cases of spray foam insulation. This is why we always recommend air sealing your home before insulating. |
Insulation and Air Barriers Work Together
Think of an Air Barrier (air sealing) as your home's wind breaker and Insulation Barrier as your home's sweater. The sweater keeps body heat close to your body (preventing conductive and radiant heat loss), and the wind breaker reduces cold air chills (convective heat loss). Insulation and air sealing work together as a system to create a Thermal Barrier, just like a sweater and a wind breaker.
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