Drywall has a relatively low R value of approximately 0.45 to ½ in thickness. This is similar to building materials such as siding, concrete, soil, front brick, chipboard, wood, and single-panel glass. However, it is significantly lower than the materials that are commonly used for insulation. Yes, drywall helps to insulate to a minimum.
Although each building material has a certain resistance to heat flow, also known as the R value, several of them are more effective than others. For example, the half-inch thickness of drywall has an R value of approximately R-0.5.A 4-inch thick wall cavity can increase its R value to approximately R-15 by adding insulation to it. Regular drywall is a poor insulator. This is because half an inch of drywall only has an R value of 0.45, which is poor.
Insulation in the form of fiberglass blocks is the most popular and least expensive method of insulating a house. Drywall is considered a suitable building material for interior walls, but its main purpose is not to insulate. Drywall and siding limit convective heat transfer, while fiberglass block insulation inhibits conductive heat transfer in typical wall construction. For example, the image below shows a wall composed of four layers of ½ inch drywall on the inside for aesthetic purposes, actual insulation between the uprights, a ¾ inch plywood coating on the outside, and wood cladding as the final exterior finish.
And while sanding and patching is often necessary to give drywall an attractive finish, it's not mandatory. The time has come to think about the many options for insulating drywall now that you understand its importance. Alpine Insulation is proud to offer reliable, quality drywall and insulation installation services in all areas of central and southern Wisconsin. This is because all you need to repair existing drywall is drywall mud, an all-purpose razor, and some adhesive tape.
To make a significant difference in the transfer of heat flow, you must include insulation together with the installation of drywall. We have found that investment in insulation is recovered through energy savings throughout the insulation and the building. It is possible to insulate existing walls without discarding drywall by using loose filler cellulose. Drywall installation also requires additional steps, such as mud, sanding and taping, which makes installing plywood a relatively less cumbersome process.
And after that, it is enough to glue the boards with weatherproof adhesive tape to assemble the interior walls with the insulation they need. Finally, it is a requirement in many jurisdictions that new construction and major renovations include insulation on all external surfaces.
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