For those trying to save money on their electric bills, or who are going for a green initiative, starting with house insulation is a great idea. A good way to insulate is using spray foam; it does everything we expect it to and a lot more.

All the talk about insulating to lower energy consumption really is true. Compared to no insulation at all, it is estimated that proper spray foam insulation can save approximately 20% on energy bills, and it is cost-effective to install. It stops the outside air from entering the house through unwanted gaps, and also prevents the air inside from escaping. This means that when a heater or air conditioner is used, we have to fiddle less with the settings to keep the temperature constant. That is the primary reason why insulation lowers electric bills.

However, spray foam, being an excellent insulator between inside and outside influences, offers a lot more. It can work as a sound barrier, helping to prevent the loud music we play in our rooms or homes from bothering people outside.

This insulation is also good when it comes to health. When preventing outside air from seeping in, it keeps nasty particles from creating problems our homes because there is less dust and less chance of molds forming inside, which lowers the chance of health problems occurring.

Finally, spray foam is a great way to raise the price of a house. The point is that when we are selling our homes, applying spray foam insulation is a very cost effective way to increase the value of the house; it is something that most potential buyers are conscious of.

With all the benefits we get from spray foam insulation, it is easy to see why so many people are opting for it. Spray foam is extremely easy to apply as well, however, it must always be noted that benefits are maximized when it is properly installed. The best results of spray foam can be gained only when it is applied by a trained professional, and are gained when we consult with such a professional.

An ideal home must be properly ventilated, well sealed and well insulated. But to achieve that kind of home, you don’t have to use too much lumber. Rather, you can simply use a house insulation system that is cost-efficient and environmental friendly. There are numerous insulation systems available today depending on the size of your home, your location and your budget. However, if you ask any home owner, the best ones are the spray foam insulations. In fact, spray foam insulation are among the list of environmental-friendly materials that you can possibly get tax incentives for.

How to Know that You Have a Poor Insulation System
No matter how environmental-friendly you think your house insulation system is, if it isn’t very effective in keeping the moisture away from the structure it will not do you much good. For example, if the walls of your home are too hot to touch during summer or too cold during winter then that means that your insulation system is poor.

Other signs include, but are not limited to, high heating and cooling costs, uneven heating levels in between rooms and floors, as well as molds growing on the different areas of your home. If you have these problems then it’s time to consider other insulation systems that will work for you and your budget.

Kinds of House Insulation Systems
There are numerous house insulation systems but the most popularly used are the fiberglass, wool and open and/or closed cell polyutherane.

Fiberglass looks similar to a fibrous blanket that snug fits in between walls. It is lightweight, strong and robust. Fiberglass is weather-resistant and can be used to construct panels that prevent heat loss during winter months. However, the production of fiberglass is extremely hazardous to human because it irritates the mucous membranes and respiratory tract. Also, fine dusts, glass filaments, and other vapors that are released during production could be harmful to the environment, too.

Meanwhile, wool can become too stuffy during summer months although it’s a naturally occurring fiber. However, it is more fire resistant and better in soundproofing.

The open and/or closed cell polyutherane are another types of spray form insulation. Open cell are denser and weaker compared to the closed cell. However, the former is cheaper than the latter. Both forms of polyutherane make excellent fills for cavities and they provide greater insulators than all traditional insulators combined because they are water-resistant, stops air and humidity infiltration, adds strength to structural frames and saves energy to up to 50% costs in both winter and summer months.

These are the reasons why homes sprayed with open and/or closed cell polyutherane as part of the house insulation system qualify for state and federal tax deductions. Home owner that use this service are given tax credit, which usually ranges from 10% of your state and federal tax to approximately $500. Other requirements for such rebate include heating, ventilating, air conditioning, metal and asphalt roofs, windows and doors as well as the presence of appliances running on renewable sources of energy like geothermal heat pumps, wind turbines and solar energy systems.

Although the closed and/or open cell spray foam insulators are more expensive than the traditional options, they provide long-term savings on energy bills. With such insulators as part of your house insulation system, you are assured of not only tax deductions but of decreased energy consumption costs.

Open cell insulation refers to the method of enhancing a building or a home’s thermal performance through the use of soft cushion of packaging materials used to ship fragile objects. It is called open cell insulation since the surfaces of the bubbles or the cell walls of the materials are broken. Because of this, air fills the different spaces of these materials.

Open Cell Insulation- What is Used to Control Your Home’s Temperature Using this Method?
Open cell insulation is a perfect alternative for Rockwool or fiberglass. This insulation material is made out of a mixture between two components placed together at the tip of a gun. It then forms an expanding foam which will then be sprayed onto wall cavities, roof tiles, holes, or concrete slabs.

This foam is non-toxic. However, there are certain elements of the mixture that may cause a person’s lung capacity to decrease. That is why it is important to wear protective gears while going through the process. When this mixture is combined with open cell resin, the result is usually best for basement and attic bonds.

Installing these insulators helps save energy and lower utility bills. Studies have shown that about 40% of energy is lost due to air infiltration through doorways, walls, and windows. At the same time, insulation is a great protection against moisture. This is why it is effective in reducing the growth of harmful mildew and mold, which are also harmful to humans.

What you should know about insulation is that the foam is stronger or heavier when its density is higher. This means it can support loads and traffic much better. At the same time, the function should always dictate which type of insulation to use. Open cell insulation, for instance, is not good for applications where it absorbs water. This is due to the fact that water is a poor insulator. This works against the function of this particular type of insulation.

Best Areas For Open Cell Insulation
Choosing the right insulation depends on the varied condition of each installation. Like closed cell insulation, this type of insulation method is commonly used in various building applications. In most cases, open cell insulation is best placed in the attic.

There are many advantages in placing this type of insulation in the attic. For one, the attic is good for open cell thermal performance. Another is the fact that air condition and its ducting is usually placed in the attic. This particular type of insulation helps air conditioners to perform better and efficiently. This is due to the fact that closing off all ventilation as well as installing under the roof deck are some of the best ways to keep air conditioners at its optimum performance.

This type of insulation is also best for non-vented attics. As you know, attics that don’t have vents are best for avoiding pollutants and dusts. At the same time, small animals cannot enter the attic. This creates a more dust-free environment.

Home weatherization is becoming the next big thing when it comes to green technologies. This practice involves optimizing the home to protect the interior from outside elements and basically reduce overall energy consumption. By properly sealing your home, you are able to maximize comfort.

Having a good insulation at home can help you reduce your electricity bills mainly because this can optimize your home that you will no longer or rarely need to rely on heaters or air conditioning units. A properly insulated home can be warmer during the winter and cooler during the summer.

Basically, home weatherization improves the building’s insulation by fixing cracks and plugging holes that disrupt proper air flow in a room or home. According to the US Department of Energy, an average American home has half a mile of cracks on it. Through proper weatherization, you will be able to reduce your heating cost by up to 32%.

Weatherization Techniques
There are a lot of things that you can do in order to optimize the insulation and air flow of your home. But the most important thing to do first is to find the cause of your problem which is air tightness. You can check how air tight your home is by lighting an incense stick near your doors, windows, electrical boxes, outlets, plumbing fixtures, hatches, and other locations where air can leak to the outside. Once you have identified the problem, you can now start fixing it.

There are different methods of home weatherization. This includes caulking cracks, installing rubber gaskets, replacing or upgrading your windows, and foaming gaps. The problem with this, however, is that if miss something, you do it wrong. If that happens, then you’ll end up with a bigger problem than you began with. That being said, it is always better to get a professional to look at your home and fix your insulation problems.

Professional Help
Hiring professional home weatherization specialists may require you to pay a bit more than doing it yourself. However, they will be able to do a better job overall. Not only will they identify and solve a problem, they will also conduct complete diagnostics in order to find the real cause of the problem. They can do everything in order to properly optimize a home’s performance. And they do this through a three-step process.

1. Identifying the source of the problem
2. Sealing air leaks
3. Insulating the home

What makes their work far better is that they have the knowledge, experience, and the right tools to get the job done in a more efficient manner. Yes, the cost may be higher but the return is better as well. You’ll get to save more money on heating and electricity. On top of that, the Federal government and other state governments encourage home owners to be more efficient. Incentives and other rewards are given to homeowners who spend on energy efficient improvements. With home weatherization, you can enjoy these rewards and benefits in its entirety.

Star Spray Foam Insulation is locally owned and operated by Brad Harris. Our Office is located in New Orleans and operates in the Gulf South region to include Biloxi to Venice. Baton Rouge to Houma. Brad Harris has been a residential builder since 1996 and has a complete understanding of Residential and Commercial business and considers the most efficient and effective means of accomplishing the job under any circumstances.