Kitchen Insulation

In most homes the kitchen is the hub of activity. But noisy appliances like dishwashers, food processors and garbage disposals can distract family members in other areas of the house, so sound control is a chief consideration when insulating this room.

As in bathrooms, moisture control matters too — the steam generated by cooking and dishwashing is moisture vapour that, when trapped in walls, can lead to mould and mildew. Proper insulation helps protect your home and your family's health.

A Kitchen Has Unusual Demands

Kitchens produce heat, steam and grease, run appliances that vibrate and hum, and usually have several penetrations through exterior walls for range hoods, plumbing and gas lines. Every one of those penetrations is a potential air leak, and they are easy to seal properly while the walls are open during a renovation.

• Exterior walls behind cabinetry and appliances
• Around range hood ducting and exhaust penetrations
• Under sinks on exterior walls, to protect plumbing
• Floor above a crawl space, garage or unheated basement
• Interior walls where appliance noise carries

Do It During the Renovation

The only easy time to insulate a kitchen is when the cabinets are out and the walls are open. Retrofitting afterwards means removing finished cabinetry, so if a kitchen renovation is planned, this is the moment to deal with the envelope.

Quieter Appliances, Steadier Temperature

Insulating interior partitions reduces the noise a dishwasher, extractor or refrigerator sends into adjoining rooms, and sealing the exterior walls stops the draft that makes a kitchen cold underfoot in winter.

Protecting the Structure Behind the Finishes

Kitchens push a lot of moisture into the surrounding walls, and unlike a bathroom there is usually no extraction running continuously. Over years, that vapour reaching a cold exterior wall causes exactly the damage you do not want behind newly fitted cabinetry. Sealing the wall properly during the renovation protects the investment you are about to make in the room.