Things To Know About Insulation: A Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners
Owning a home is considered to be a worthy investment. This is why people spend a good deal of money in making their homes comfortable and energy-efficient.
And we all know that insulation is crucial in making sure that your home is comfortable and your electricity bill is consistent and reasonable all year round.
But sometimes, homeowners do not know what type of insulation to get and where they should insulate in their homes.
So, how do you know if your home is properly insulated or if it needs replacing? This guide will look at the signs of a well-insulated home to determine if your insulation needs to be replaced and identify what type of insulation will work best for your home.
How Does Insulation Work?
Insulation works as a thermal barrier made from different types of material. When properly installed, it prevents or at least slows down the flow of heat in and out of your home. It is what helps you maintain a consistent temperature inside your home in the winter and summer.
Why Proper Insulation is Important?
A well-insulated home provides several benefits beyond comfort. A properly insulated home provides:
- It lowers heating and cooling costs; therefore, lower energy bills.
- It provides sound control, making your home quieter with sound-control insulation in the interior walls.
- It increases your home’s energy efficiency
- It provides moisture control by acting as a barrier between vapor and the structure.
How Do You Know When Your Insulation Needs Replacing?
When Temperature Inside Your Home is Inconsistent
As a homeowner, your goal is to have a consistent temperature in all areas of your home with no drafts. If there are rooms cooler or warmer than the other parts of the house, it may be time for new insulation.
When Your Energy Bills Skyrockets
The HVAC system of your home works harder and consumes more energy to keep your house warm or cool, depending on the season, when you don’t install proper insulation.
When Your Insulation Starts to Wear Out
Over time, insulation can also wear down and lose its effectiveness. Like any other construction materials, insulation also has a lifespan.
Depending on the materials used, harsh weather conditions and other external factors, some insulation needs to be replaced after 15 to 20 years; while materials can last up to 100 years.
When it Suffers Damages
There are instances that insulation gets damaged by the weather, insects or rodents. And if you have insects or rodents that can get inside your home, that’s another sign that your house is not as well insulated as it should be.
When Your Pipes Freeze Regularly
Another way to find out if your insulation is not properly working is when your pipes regularly freeze or bust during the winter.
Where Should You Insulate?
To properly seal the air leaks in your home, you must add insulation to under-insulated areas.
Check the following areas for proper insulation to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home:
- Attic
- Basement
- Crawlspace
- Exterior Walls and Floors
- Garage
- Knee Walls
Meanwhile, you should check the following areas for air leaks:
- Between floor joists
- Behind knee walls
- Attic hatch
- Wiring holes
- Plumbing vents
- Open soffit
- Recessed lights
- Furnace flue
What are the Types of Insulation You Can Use?
There are many insulation options for your home you can choose from, depending on your needs and budget.
Blanket Batts and Rolls
Blanket batts and rolls are typically made from fiberglass. But you can also find ones that are made of cotton, mineral wool, sheep’s wool, and plastic fibers. This is the most common type of insulation because it is affordable and very easy to install. You may opt to use rolls for long unobstructed spaces, while you can use pre-cut batts in the attic, walls, and crawl spaces.
Loose-Fill Insulation
These are loose cellulose or fiberglass that is blown into attics and walls that have no existing insulation yet. This is commonly used for odd, tight and hard-to-reach areas.
However, you must note that this material is a bit heavier than the others, which can affect the structure of your home if not properly executed.
Spray Foam
Although this type of insulation costs a little more, it offers a higher R-value than the others. It seals your home by spraying liquid polyurethane into areas that need to be insulated, where it expands and hardens into a solid foam to fill leaks and gaps.
It can effectively insulate hard-to-reach and oddly-shaped areas to ensure that your home is properly sealed. It comes in two types: open-cell foam and closed-cell foam.
Check out our spray foam insulation in New Orleans for more.
What is the Most Effective Insulation for Your Home?
All things considered, the choice ultimately depends on you when it comes to selecting the best type of insulation material to use in your home.
It depends on several factors like the type of your home, climate where your home is located and budget.
What Are the Benefits of Replacing or Updating Insulation?
When you update or replace your insulation, you ensure that your home is performing to its optimum level.
Comfort and energy efficiency can easily be achieved because your home is protected from airflow and heat loss. And with lower energy bills, comes bigger savings for you.
How Do You Know if You Need Professional Help?
If you are still not sure if you need to replace your insulation, you may call us Star Spray Foam to get professional help.
We can help you inspect your home and ensure that your home is safeguarded from airflow and heat loss.
More from Star Spray Foam
How Often Should You Coat Your Roof?
Different Types Of Attic Insulation You Can Use For Your Home
15 Benefits and Importance of Insulating an Attic
Star Spray Foam is proud to provide affordable, efficient insulation services. We have built a reputation in the NOLA area for efficient, high-quality insulation at an affordable cost.
We use quality materials to maximize the amount of heat retained inside your home – and we install them for you hassle-free. Contact us today!
