Insulation prevents what type of heat transfer

It is also transferred from homes by convection. For example, cold air can enter the house through gaps in doors and windows, and convection currents can transfer heat energy in the loft to the roof tiles. Heat energy also leaves the house by radiation - through the walls, roof and windows.

There are several different ways to reduce heat loss:. Insulation works by slowing the transfer of heat, which can move in three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. For heat to travel from your body through your down jacket, it has to move by conduction through the tiny feather fibers that are in contact with each other. Heat transfer by convection happens through the air, and there are millions of minuscule air spaces between the fibers.

Heat transfer by radiation is also slow since one fiber must radiate its heat to another. Energy Saver dealers are fully trained and certified in the workings of insulation and heat transfer in your home. Contact your local dealer for an explanation in person, and get started on energy savings today!

If you know how your home's insulation works, you can also understand what makes it malfunction and contribute to poor energy performance in a house. Here's what can go wrong:. Slowing the transfer of heat is just as important in hot weather as it is during cold weather. So even though the down jacket example focuses on insulation's role in keeping a house warm in winter, the same principles apply when it's hot outside and you want to save money on air conditioning. All insulation shares a common measuring unit known as R-value.

The "R" stands for resistance to heat flow. A high R-value means greater resistance to heat flow and thus, greater insulating value. The good news is that heat loss by thermal bridging can be reduced by :. A greater understanding of how insulation prevents heat loss in your home and what types of heat transfer could be causing problems will allow you to understand how your home is working as a system, and allow you to look for and target areas that need extra support.

Request Your Quote Now. Call Us 1. Our company's mission is to provide affordable insulation solutions for every one of our customers. For Eco Star, the focus is always on product excellence and superior installation. Please, enter a valid value. Posted by Ecostar Insulation on March 27, Explaining R-value When trying to reduce heat loss in your home, the best tool to help you assess different products is R-value. So what does insulation even do? Reduces heat transfer from radiative heat sources Reduces heat transfer from conductive sources Divides the air space to reduce convection current This combined reduction in the types of heat transfer allows you to keep your conditioned air where it belongs, regardless of the season or outdoor weather conditions.

This can include: Steel studs Metal window and door frames Slab walls and floors Shear walls These areas can become problematic sources of heat loss that reduce your overall efficiency and cause comfort and condensation problems.