Adding insulation to your home will make it more energy efficient. That means you should save money on your monthly power bills and you'll be more comfortable inside during the winter and summer months. Here is a look at adding insulation to your home and the options available:
Start With An Energy Audit
When you add insulation to an existing home, it's a good idea to start with an energy audit. This will pinpoint areas of air leaks in the house. Before you install new insulation, you want to seal as many air leaks as possible. An energy auditor has devices that sense temperature changes and airflow so you know exactly where the problem areas are in your home. Sealing the leaks involves adding weather stripping around windows and doors as well as sealing gaps with spray foam.
Understand How Insulation Works
You can choose different types of insulation. Although they differ in materials and how they are applied, they all do the same thing. They reduce the amount of heat transfer. Heat is always seeking to move to cooler temperatures. That means heat leaks out during the winter and leaks inside during the summer. Insulation greatly reduces the amount of heat that can move in and out of your home through the walls, floor, and attic. Insulation is rated according to how well it blocks heat transfer and this is measured by the R-factor. When you compare insulation products, look at the R-factor. The higher the number, the better the product insulates your home.
Choose The Type Of Insulation To Install
You can choose from fiberglass batt insulation, foam, and blown in insulation. Each has its advantages. If you want the most affordable option, then fiberglass batt insulation is a good choice, and you can easily install it on your own in the attic. If you want to place it between a wall, you have to remove part of the wall. Blown in insulation is ideal for adding to walls because all that's needed is a small hole to stick the hose through and the insulation is blown into the wall cavity. Spray foam insulation has the advantage of drying into a hard surface that can resist water, so it is a good type of insulation for an exterior wall. Spray foam is also good at closing gaps and cracks because it flows over the surface of the wall or floor as it expands once it's sprayed on. Spray foam can act as a leak sealant, water barrier, and insulation product all in one.
If you have an old home that has not had the insulation upgraded in years, it would probably benefit from having new insulation installed. Even if it was fully insulated to start with using fiberglass batt insulation, the fiberglass can mat and compress over time and lose its ability to block heat transfer. Both fiberglass and blown in cellulose should be fluffy and dry for the best results.
Contact a company like Green Improvement Consulting for more information and assistance.
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