Fiberglass Facings

Good evening all - it seems that some of the last few posts may have been rather mundane. You're correct - and this should only last a few more posts. Also, you may have noticed that I've changed from The Energy Guy to The House-Zen Guy. This is due to a separate post upcoming detailing the purchase and rehabilitation of homes. It's easier to go by one moniker - and the two sites will reference each other. With that being said...

Various facings are fastened to insulating materials during the manufacturing process. Fiberglass batt or blanket insulation is available with a variety of facings. Some common insulation facings are: kraft paper, aluminum foil, aluminum foil / kraft paper laminate and white vinyl sheeting. You've read my reference to white vinyl in previous posts.

Facings protect the insulation's surface, provide an air barrier and or vapor barrier, facilitate fastening and help to hold the insulation together. All of the common facings attached to fiberglass batts are air barriers and most are vapor barriers. However, their effectiveness as an air barrier depends on nearly flawless installation. Besides being an air and vapor barrier, aluminum foil is also a radiant barrier, retarding radiant heat flow when it faces an air gap.

When installing fiberglass facings in a home, the facing should always be facing the heating source. So if you are in a room remodel, the paper faces you. If you are in an attic, the paper faces downwards toward the living envelope.

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