Do you find it difficult to maintain a desirable temperature indoors? Do you find your energy bills increasing with passing seasons? This is all because of faulty home insulation. Even though it requires a lot of effort, good home insulation can resolve your heating and cooling issues indoors. Many homeowners have an unclear understanding of home insulation and thus do not know about its purpose. So if you want to know more about it, then this article is for you.
Why do you need insulation, and how will it affect costs?
The first question that comes to mind is, “what is the purpose of home insulation? Why do you need it?”. Proper insulation helps in reducing the unwanted and unnecessary transfer of heat and thus allows your HVAC system to work more efficiently and more effectively in heating or cooling your house. Heat usually transfers from warm areas to colder areas until the temperature becomes equal.
So during the summer season, the heat transfers from warmer outdoors to cooler indoor areas and thus affecting cooling systems if there is nothing to keep the outdoor heat outside. Similarly, in the winter seasons, the heat transfers from heated indoor areas to the cooler areas outside and within the house, which are not heated like bathrooms, garages, and attics, thus making your heating system work more if the insulation is poor.
So as you can see, poor insulation contributes to an increase in the workload of the heating and cooling systems and thus has an effect on your energy costs. Usually, around 40 percent of the utility bill is from the heating and cooling of homes. And this percentage can increase multiple times depending upon your home insulation.
Contact your Utility Bidder today to find out about your utility costs and deals. So proper installation of insulation in your homes can allow your HVAC system to work efficiently by reducing unnecessary heat transfer through gaps, cracks, and leaks. This will allow you to maintain a desirable temperature not only indoors but also drastically reduce your energy costs.
Types of materials for home insulation
There are various types of insulation and materials used for different purposes. Some of the common ones include foam boards, spray foam insulation, blanket batts and rolls, loose-fill insulation, and much more. Every insulation material has a specific use since each of them have their own advantages and disadvantages. There is a way of differentiating between various materials according to the type of insulation they provide.
There is an R-value given to materials that determine the amount of insulation the material will provide against heat transfer. Materials with higher R-value are good insulators. Various factors affect this R-value, such as the material’s density, age, and thickness. You need to keep in mind that the R-value of the material will be different from the R-value of the ceiling or wall, as heat transfers more easily through beams.
Which areas require insulation in homes?
There are many areas that can have gaps and cracks to allow air leaks and transfer of heat. So let’s look at the areas that require insulation to ensure the temperature remains the same indoors.
1) Roof and attic
During the summer season, the harsh sun rays fall directly on the roof and cause an increase in temperature. This heat-up of the roof causes your attics to heat up as well. This can, in turn, causes an increase in the overall temperature of your house, thus rendering your HVAC system ineffective. Roof and attic insulation will allow you to reduce your heating and cooling costs by 15 percent.
2) Walls
Wall insulation is essential for your homes that allows you to create energy-efficient homes. Exterior wall insulation is just as crucial for your homes as interior wall insulation. It helps in protecting the house against extreme temperature changes and thus decreases energy usage. Proper wall insulation not only reduces energy costs but also increases the lifespan of the house by not allowing mold to grow and thus increases the resale value of homes.
When you are building your home, the options you have for exterior and interior wall insulation include batt and roll insulation, foam board insulation, radiant barriers, concrete blocks insulation, and insulated panels. But if your home is already constructed and you are upgrading your wall insulation, then the options you have include spray foam insulation and blown-in insulation.
Even though interior wall insulation is not a necessity, it reduces heat transfer between rooms and thus increases energy costs, prevents condensation of moisture, prevents spread of fire, and dampens sound between the rooms.
3) Floor
Around 10 percent of heat is lost through uninsulated floors as they allow cold air to come in from the underground. This requires an increase in the duration for which the heating system is used, thus causing an increase in energy bills.
Usually, older houses that have suspended floors and houses with a crawlspace under the floor need insulation. You can insulate your floors by draught-proofing them using caulk material, installing foam boards, radiant barriers, or blown-in insulation under the flooring, or simply using rugs to reduce heat loss.
4) Window
Window insulation plays an important role when it comes to your house’s energy efficiency because around 30 percent of the heating is lost through the windows, and during summers, around 70 percent of heat from sun rays enters through windows. Therefore insulating windows will reduce heat transfer and allow energy savings. You can insulate windows by using blinds, drapes, and curtains to prevent heat loss, window films, caulk, or foam weather strips to seal windows, window shutters, or awnings to prevent sun glare and thus heat transfer.
5) Door
Doors also require insulation to prevent air leaks and heat loss and thus reduce energy costs and allow a comfortable temperature indoors. You need to insulate the door and the door frame by using weatherstrips, caulking the cracks and gaps, and using a door sweep to prevent air transfer from the gap between the door and floor.
6) Garage
Garage insulation usually goes unnoticed and neglected, but there are many benefits to garage insulation. These include:
- Proper insulation in the garage prevents toxic gases from cars from entering your home.
- Proper insulation in the garage will allow you to easily use your garage as a gym or home office.
- Garage insulation will reduce conduction through walls and reduce energy bills if the garage is attached to your house.
- Equipment stored in the garage can be kept safely without having to worry about damage due to extreme temperatures.
7) Basement
Basements are usually the coolest areas, and they are also susceptible to water leaks and mold growth. So insulating basements is necessary to prevent this and also ensure your heating and cooling systems work efficiently. Insulation that does not trap moisture is the best for basements.
The bottom line
Home insulation is a valuable part of your home, and it plays an important role in ensuring your home is energy efficient with an increased lifespan. By installing proper insulation at your home from the windows, doors, walls, roof, and attic, to garage and basements, you can reduce energy bills.
