Insulation

Insulation is sometimes confused with either weatherization or thermal mass, but is distinct from both.

Insulation is the practice of providing a barrier surrounding, or within a building or other object to slow the conductive flow of heat. A reflective barrier is often added to insulation to slow radiative heat flow.

Insulation is used not only for buildings, but also for stoves[?], refrigerators, freezers[?], and some other appliances where it's important to slow heat flow, and in many industrial applications.

Commonly-used types of insulation in residential construction include:

• Fiberglass
• Polyurethane foam[?]
• Polystyrene foam[?]
• Cellulose insulation[?]

See also:

• Straw-bale construction[?]

Insulation also refers to electrically nonconductive barriers, i.e. insulators.