The Best Way to Insulate Concrete Block Walls
Some builders refer to them as concrete block walls, cinder block walls, or cement block walls. Nevertheless, every one of these options remains somewhat porous. This porous nature means letting outside air in a home, business, or other facilities. It also means that the blocks likely remain open inside themselves.
Poor concrete block wall insulation in a home or business means those occupying the area inside may not be comfortable during the hot or cold times of the year, and can also impact energy bills.
The best way to combat unwanted airflow caused by this problem is by insulating concrete block walls in Florida. By reducing air infiltration with block wall insulation, a building can keep cool air inside and hot, humid South Florida air outside. This helps reduce energy consumption, utility bills, and a facility’s environmental footprint.
Insulating concrete block walls in Florida requires specific, specialized materials from a quality provider like ASR Materials that can take place after construction is complete. Nonetheless, insulation remains ideally a construction phase that should take place before a home or building’s completion.
How Does Concrete Block Wall Insulation Work?
Builders or contractors may utilize various concrete masonry wall construction to derive the best solution for insulating concrete block walls in Florida. For example, some may use interior insulation, insulated cavities, foam insulation, granular fills, and even external insulation systems.
Every masonry wall design provides distinct advantages and limitations regarding insulating a concrete block wall. Insulation choice can ultimately come down to thermal properties, climate conditions, ease of application, or cost.
The first two words that likely come to mind when mentioning our climate are sunny and warm in Florida. While the entire state of Florida faces seemingly year-round heat, South Florida distinctly provides a tropical savannah climate.
To achieve the most optimal strategy for energy efficiency while also keeping Florida heat from entering a building, insulating concrete block walls in Florida remains a must.
Starting from the roof and ending with the foundation, insulation helps to keep cool in and heat out, or vice versa, depending on the time of year. However, insulating concrete block walls in Florida also helps establish efficient air leakage and moisture control in every building.
Block Wall Insulation
Whether a concrete block wall can be covered or the top of the wall is exposed can drastically change how a contractor approaches an insulation project. For example, some may utilize spray or injection foam, while others select loose-fill masonry applications.
Loose-fill masonry insulation is a natural solution that involves filling a home’s concrete block walls with sand or sand-like aggregate material.
Contractors and builders will utilize loose fill when insulating concrete block walls in Florida when the top of the concrete block wall cavity remains open. This is the ideal situation and optimally applied during the construction phase of a project. A builder can pour a mixture into open block cavities with negligible impedance with the cavity open.
Why Should You Insulate Your Concrete Block Walls?
Concrete blocks have high thermal conductivity, meaning that heat travels through them quickly. This can cause problems for homeowners who live in warmer climates like Florida because it will cause their interior temperature to rise faster than it would if there were walls between them and the outside air temperature. This means that you may need more energy-efficient HVAC equipment to keep the inside at comfortable temperatures without overworking yourself or your HVAC system. This is why it’s great to get your concrete block walls insulated.
Insulating Concrete Block Walls in Florida | Abraham Sand & Rock | ASR Materials
These represent just some of the potential methods and benefits for insulating concrete block walls in Florida. Industry specialists and DIYers attempting to insulate exterior walls in new construction or existing homes can expand or limit the potential insulation or aggregate selections.
A builder needs to choose the right product that best fits their needs to get the job done right. Options like spray foam can create continuous insulation with an air seal. However, this selection could be too expensive to keep a job within budget while additionally allowing the potential for air movement long after the project is complete.
ASR Materials commits to guiding individuals and organizations in the South Florida community with an extensive catalog of insulation, loose-fill, and other aggregate and soil product selections available at a moment’s notice.
We offer trucking and delivery for all our product selections ensuring that not only a professional or DIYer chooses the best fit for their job but also receive the materials on time to complete the job.
To learn more about insulating concrete block walls in Florida and our extensive aggregate and insulation solutions, reach out to the dedicated customer service team from ASR Materials today!