what is insulation

Insulation is a material used to reduce heat loss or heat gain by providing a barrier between the inside of a building and the significantly different temperature outside. It can also be used to reduce the transmission of electricity, sound, moisture, shock, or radiation between insulated surfaces of adjacent bodies. Insulation materials run the gamut from bulky fiber materials such as fiberglass, rockwool, cellulose, and natural fibers to rigid foam boards to sleek foils. The effectiveness of an insulation material’s resistance to heat flow depends on how and where the insulation is installed. Insulation works by slowing the movement of heat from a hot space to a cooler space, which helps increase the energy efficiency of a building by reducing the amount of heat that escapes from it in the winter and keeping it from getting too warm in the summer. There are several types of insulation, including thermal insulation, soundproofing insulation, and electrical insulation. The most common type of insulation is thermal insulation, which is usually found in walls and ceilings, especially the outside walls of a building where heat is most likely to be gained or lost.