The importance of proper insulation in successfully building a shipping container home can never be stressed enough. However, one might still be tempted to forego insulation to save some money. It is a much better idea to buy shipping containers on sale and not skimp on insulation.
Container homeowners throughout Australia often regret not understanding the importance of insulation earlier. Lack of proper insulation can lead to problems like condensation. Here are some tips on insulating shipping container homes.
Think about the climate for the right insulation
If you are confused about the kind of insulation to get for your 20ft shipping container, think about your climate. If you live in cold climate, for instance, in Tasmania, your insulation system will have to provide warmth and keep condensation away. If your area gets a lot of rain, spray foam insulation is essential.
Try out spray foam insulation for creating a vapour barrier
The reason why spray foam insulation is a universal choice for effective insulation is that it creates a seamless barrier against vapour. This helps to keep corrosion away. Spray foam has proved to be the most successful and the quickest insulation method so far.
It is highly flexible and thus can be sprayed into a range of wall gap sizes. It can be sprayed on the internal as well as the external walls of your container. If spray foam insulation is expensive for you, try looking for shipping containers for sale.
Insulation panels for stud walls
If your container home has stud walls, you can go for insulation panels. Buy insulation panels at predefined sizes and fit them in the wall gaps. The advantage with panel insulation is high insulating value even for low depth. However, if panel insulation is expensive, you can try blanket insulation. However, blanket insulation will need to be handled with care, as some types of it are made from fibreglass. If you are doing blanket insulation yourself, take care to wear the right personal protective equipment.
Consider eco-friendly options for insulation
One of the major reasons why people build shipping containers is sustainability. If that is true, why should insulation be left behind? Some ways to do it the eco-friendly ways are:
Wool insulation
Very similar to blanket insulation, wool insulation uses natural sheep wool. Compared to fibreglass, which is used in the former, wool insulation uses very less energy to be produced.
Cotton insulation
This, too, is very similar to blanket insulation, except that it uses old cotton clothes. While it is highly eco-friendly, it costs much more than fibreglass.
Construct them for self-insulation
You can actually try designing and constructing your home in a way that it insulates itself. For instance, in hot areas, natural environment can be used to keep the house cool. Sloped roofs can help hot air, which is lighter, rise up and exit the container easily. The opposite happens with cold air, which keeps the container cool.
It is a good idea to use a combination of different insulation techniques to keep costs down. For instance, one can use rock wool for the underneath of the shipping container. Spray foam insulation over this can help provide airtight sealing.
