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Cabin 136 home exterior

Finding the Best Insulation for Exterior Walls

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Having proper insulation for your home is important. There’s a lot to consider, from potential leaks in your crawl spaces up to the best insulation for exterior walls. This is especially true for those who live in colder areas, where a night without heat would be simply unbearable. The thing is, we had to add a ton of new insulation at the cabin, and I went on a spree researching all of the very best insulation options – beyond that pink stuff! You know, if you know, and I kept coming up with the same insulation winner, especially if you live in a highly wet location or fire zone.

Even if you have a backup plan for your electrical and heat like ours, why lose any of that precious heat? Once you’ve read through the options below, compare them to what you currently have in your home, and—potentially—upgrade to something better, your winter worries will be far less. I know mine already have installed Rokwool.

Intrigued? Keep reading…

What’s the Best Insulation for Exterior Walls?

outside of 136 home cabin

Although it’s easy to claim that one solution is the best insulation for exterior walls, the truth is more nuanced. Having a higher R-rating, a term that measures insulation’s ability to resist heat loss is important. The higher the R-value, the better. But that said, depending on the house, getting “the best of the best” might not be necessary.

As y’all know, the cabin is an ongoing project. We looked at many different insulation options before ultimately settling on something we loved. However, if it was a new home with new construction, the insulation options we considered might have been a bit different, and we could have settled for something more affordable or blow-in options. Being remote, we didn’t want that hassle and opted to install insert panel insulation.

With that in mind, I recommend considering all potential factors that could affect your insulation before upgrading. You definitely want the best of the best for your situation, but there’s no point in overdoing it. Alright, with that out of the way, let’s start looking at our options.

The Various Types of Insulation

Below, I’ve listed four different popular insulation materials worth considering. Of course, there are more options available, but these are the most common ones that you should get familiar with. After we’ve gone over that, I’ll tell you guys what we ended up using in the cabin.

Remember, you don’t necessarily need to use the entire insulation solution across the entire house. While this would definitely make the planning process easier, sometimes it’s just not practical (or even possible). 

As such, I’ve tried to include not only the benefits and pitfalls of each material but the best use cases as well.

Pro tip: don’t let any heat go to waste. Make sure your windows are properly insulated as well!

Batts

bath insulation

Fiberglass batts are an extremely common type of insulation material. Fiberglass insulation is fairly cheap already, and getting batt insulation helps streamline the entire insulation process. Essentially, these batts come in sheets made of fiberglass and a binder, complete with a facing. This facing gives this blanket insulation a boost when it comes to preventing heat loss and eliminating the movement of water vapor. 

Since batts are pre-cut, arranging them to fit your walls is pretty easy. Even better, you only need staples to hold them in place between the wall studs, making them perfect for the first-time DIY-er. However, it’s not all peachy across the board.

While fiberglass batts are good at retaining heat, reducing noise, and are even fire-retardant, these are all benefits you get after they’ve been installed. Fiberglass batts don’t offer the best installation process, as they can cause itchiness and rashes if touched. 

It’s best to wear a mask when working with fiberglass, as inhaling the particles can cause respiratory issues. Our cabin had a ton of this stuff, as seen above, and some of it had started to rot from water intrusion. We decided to remove it all.

Blown-In Insulation

adding insulation

It’s a bit more pricey, but blown-in insulation—sometimes referred to as loose-fill insulation—is another great insulation option. Unlike batts, blown-in insulation actually consists of a bunch of small pieces of insulation.

This makes it a bit more flexible since the insulation can easily be sprayed to fill oddly shaped spaces or even a wall cavity without issue. It’s especially popular in attics for that exact reason! Like batts, it can be made from fiberglass, but you’ll also have rock wool and even eco-friendly materials to choose from.

You can install this type of insulation yourself, though you’ll likely need to rent the specialized tools to do it. Depending on the price and the results you’re after, I might suggest just hiring a professional for this one.

Foam Panels

pink insulation

Another common contender for the best insulation for exterior walls is foam board insulation. As the title implies, this type of insulation consists of foam, which can be polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, or polyisocyanurate.

These are especially great for exterior insulation as they are sold in a variety of sizes. This means that getting large pieces shouldn’t pose much of an issue. They also tend to have higher R-values than other types of insulation.

Although not universally true, many foam panels come with radiant barriers. This helps maintain interior temperatures by reflecting the heat away from the insulation. Paired with the insulation itself, this combination can be extremely effective at keeping unwanted heat away.

Spray Foam

Spray foam insulation

Spray foam insulation can actually be split into two different types, open-cell foam and closed-cell spray foam. Both function essentially the same way, where the installer sprays foam into the areas that need insulation.

However, there is quite a difference between open-cell and closed-cell foam. Open-cell foam is the cheaper option, offering lower prices in exchange for lower R-ratings. Closed-cell foam is arguably the best insulation option around, but it can get quite pricey, especially if you need a lot of it.

Still, both of these solutions are effective at eliminating unwanted airflow. This is great if you’re tired of dealing with drafts or unwanted leaks, as spray foam insulation will fill these right up. Even the concrete blocks of concrete walls can be filled with spray foam, provided you can access them.

That said, you’ll want to factor labor costs into your estimate, as I would definitely recommend going for a professional if you choose to install this insulation.

What I Used to Insulate Our Cabin

rockwool the best insulation for exterior walls

Alright, now the part I know you’ve all been waiting for. What did we use to insulate our cozy cabin? Well, we ended up going with something a bit different: Rockwool insulation.

rokwool insulation cuts

For us, this was easily the best insulation . It’s a bit more costly than the fiberglass alternatives we ended up replacing, but I think the benefits are well worth it. To be fair, there are more expensive insulation choices out there for exterior wall insulation.

How to cut insulation

Like fiberglass, Rockwool insulation is fire-retardant and helps reduce exterior noise. The biggest reason we dubbed this the best option, though? It’s moisture-resistant! This is especially important in the bathroom, where the room tends to get wet during wintertime. It was also a breeze to cut, fit, and install, needing nothing to keep it in place. I just sleep better knowing we have new insulation, especially around windows and in the bathroom.

Anthony in cabin with windows

With the new Rockwool insulation—which is a mineral wool made from slag and basalt—we shouldn’t have any issues this upcoming winter.

The Purpose of Insulation

By now, you probably have a pretty good idea of what insulation is for for exteriors. Whether you’re talking about older homes, commercial buildings, or even manufactured homes, the purpose of insulation stays pretty consistent. At a bare minimum, it needs to keep you comfortable.

cabin renovation floors

Aside from preventing heat loss, though, insulation offers a number of other benefits as well. Sufficient insulation can help lower your energy bills, increase the value of your home, reduce noise, and even help prevent potential moisture problems with the proper air seal.

It might not be the most exciting topic around, but trust me – it’s definitely one putting some thought into if you want to make your home feel as cozy as possible.

What is an R-Value?

R Value for insulation graph

When comparing the best insulation for exterior walls, the term “R-Value” is something you’ll come across a lot. Simply put, an R-Value is a measurement or score of how well a material can prevent heat transfer. Materials with a higher r-value provide better insulation, while those with lower scores won’t do as well with extreme temperatures.

Here are a few examples to give you an idea of the differences between insulation methods. Remember, each material you can buy will show a specific R-rating for that product, so refer to those for more product-accurate numbers!

MaterialR-Value Range (Higher is Better)
Batts2.9 to 4.0 per inch
Blown-In Insulation3.2 to 4 per inch
Foam Panels3.5 to 7.0 per inch
Spray Foam3.2 to 7.0 per inch
Rockwool insulation3.0 to 3.3 per inch

Vapor Barriers – A Great Addition

exterior under house moisture barrier

We added a vapor barrier under our cabin. There was a ton of moisture collecting under our house, and we were so happy to have it installed last winter to keep things safe and adequately humid during the wetter seasons. Some types of insulation are already effective at preventing moisture from moving in or out of a building. Even if your current insulation helps against these issues, it may still be worth considering vapor barriers for your home.

Vapor barriers can be made from a number of different materials, including rubber, paint, bitumen, and foil. However, plastic sheeting is definitely the most common option. Being made from polyethylene, it’s easy to produce and cheap to sell. It’s even offered in a small variety of different thicknesses to match your individual home’s needs.

Worried about the moisture under your home? Put those worries to rest with this crawl space dehumidifier!

You’ll Love Using the Best Insulation for Exterior Walls

exterior of cabin rose garden view

So, did you learn anything new? I hope you did – I tried to keep this post on the best insulation for exterior walls simple and straightforward, yet informational! The key thing I’d say you should take away from this is that the “best insulation” for one home might not be the best for the next home (or next budget).

Shop around, consider the various pros and cons of each option, and then make the upgrade if it seems worthwhile. There is such a thing as upgrading beyond the point of returns. Still, for most people, I think upgrading the exterior wall insulation can be worth it.

Pair it with a window insulation install for the ultimate winter-ready upgrade!

Questions, thoughts, ideas, or experiences you’d like to share? Leave them for me in the comments below. I love hearing from you guys. Until next time! 


FAQs About the Best Insulation for Exterior Walls

installing insulation rockwool

Is R11 or R19 insulation better?

Well, a higher rating means more insulation, so an R-19 rated insulation would provide better insulation than R11 rated material.

What exterior insulation has the highest R-value?

It will vary from product to product. As a rule, though, rigid roam is generally considered the best, thanks to R-values ranging from 4.0 to 6.5 per inch.

What is the best way to insulate a house from the outside?

Starting with a vapor barrier will be your best choice. From these, add a layer of foam board before installing your siding.

What is the most efficient exterior wall insulation?

Well, it really depends on your local weather. I recommend referring to this chart to see which types of insulation products will work best for you, depending on the zone you live in.

Can you have too high of an R-value insulation?

While higher R-values can help reduce heating issues and increase energy efficiency, there is a point where you may start to run into issues. Aside from simply investing extra money without any return, too high of R-values can cause mold, bad air circulation, moisture issues, and even water damage if left unattended.

What is the cheapest way to insulate exterior walls?

If you need the cheapest, most effective insulation around then a fiberglass option is probably the right type of insulation for you. You can get it in batts or as loose-fill, giving you a solution for nearly any home. As a cheap add-on? I recommend upgrading or installing some thick curtains if you haven’t already.

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