Key Takeaways:

  • You can save money on your energy bills each month by learning about the suitable areas to insulate in a home.
  • The most important places to insulate a home are the attic, storm, and magnetic windows.
  • Attic insulation is important because it helps reflect heat away from the home and vents the attic space.
  • Ducts are often responsible for wasted energy in many homes.
  • Sealing and caulking doorways and windows is a great way to prevent energy loss. Adding a door sweep can also help seal any air leaks.
  • Absolute Roofing and Construction, Inc offers roofing, siding, and insulation services to customers in Middleburg Heights, OH, and the surrounding areas.

 

Heating and cooling can be expensive, so it’s essential to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to keep those costs down. Absolute Roofing and Construction, Inc will discuss the areas of a house that should be insulated, as well as tips for doing so effectively.

Spaces to Insulate in a Home to Save Energy

1. Attic

An attic is an essential portion of your home to insulate. If you don’t have adequate attic insulation, all of your heated or cooled air will rise to the attic and escape. You’ll be heating or cooling your house all day long, but it won’t be able to achieve or maintain the temperature you desire, resulting in significant energy expenditures.

As a result, sealing your attic’s ceiling and the floor is critical. In the winter, a lack of ventilation will result in condensation, which can cause a slew of structural moisture concerns.

If you have any walls in front of the attic, you should insulate them. Also, when remodeling or building a new home, ensure any attic decking is raised past the ceiling joists to provide enough insulation space.

Also, read our blog on how to take care of roof ventilation.

2. Ceilings

When renovating your attic, you shouldn’t leave out the ceiling. Even if you insulate your attic, you risk losing all the conditioned air if you don’t protect the ceiling.

Ceiling insulation is also crucial since it prevents condensation, leading to moisture-related issues such as mold. It ensures uniform heating or cooling throughout your house.

3. Walls

To maintain a comfortable temperature inside your homeinsulate the interior and exterior walls. If you only insulated the exterior walls, conditioned air would escape, and outside air would enter. Likewise, if you only insulated the interior walls, there would be inconsistencies between rooms, some hotter or colder than others.

4. Floors

An uninsulated floor, particularly in unheated rooms such as the garage, can absorb a lot of heat flow. Cold or unevenly warm floors are a telltale sign that your floors aren’t well insulated. If you detect this, you should immediately insulate your floors to reduce your energy expenses and make walking around home barefoot easier.

If you want to insulate the floor above an unconditioned garage, seal all vents and sources of air leakage first. Otherwise, contaminated air from the garage (exhaust fumes, paint fumes, solvents) might leak into the conditioned space. Also, cover any gaps or cracks where cold air could come up through the floorboards and ruin the insulation underneath them.

Insulating your flooring may reduce moisture, eliminate drafts, and retain the heated or cooled air. Insulating your floor has a similar benefit to insulating your walls: it helps to minimize the noise in multi-level homes where individuals reside on different levels.

5. Basement

Insulating your basement can help save money on heating and cooling costs by lowering your monthly power bill. You may add extra insulation to your basement, whether new construction or an old house. However, because it is difficult to insulate the outside of the basement walls of an existing property, you must stick to interior insulation.

When insulating your basement, look for moisture control in the insulation you use because basements are prone to humidity, mold, and water intrusion.

6. Windows & Doors

You can improve your home’s energy efficiency by insulating your windows. Doors are another vital area of your home to insulate. Insulatingyour doors will help to keep drafts out and can also help to reduce noise levels inside your home.

If your doors and windows lack built-in insulation, you can replace them with more energy-efficient and comfortable ones. However, you may achieve the same purpose by sealing and caulking doorways and windows in and out. You may also add a door sweep to seal any air leaks.

7. Ducts

Many duct systems cause homeowners to waste a large amount of energy. When building a new home, put the vents in a conditioned area. On the other hand, if you have an older home and notice that the ducts aren’t located in a conditioned space, take measures to seal and insulate them correctly. It will lower your future energy bills significantly.

Types of Insulation and their Application

1. Fiberglass

Fiberglass insulation is made from glass fibers spun into a thick mat. It is then usually covered with a paper or foil backing. Fiberglass insulation is commonly used in walls, ceilings, and attics.

If you want to insulate an existing home’s interior, blow-in fiberglass insulation (also known as drill and fill) is a good choice since it doesn’t disrupt a completed property. It’s very successful, mainly if you apply the dense pack technique. If your wall cavities are open when you’re renovating, batting insulation should do the trick.

2. Cellulose

This insulation is made from recycled paper products treated with fire retardants and other chemicals. It is then blown into place using special equipment. Cellulose insulation is commonly used in walls, ceilings, and attics.

3. Foam

Foam insulation contains polyurethane or other materials that are sprayed into place. It is applied to walls, ceilings, attics, and crawl spaces.

4. Radiant Barrier

Radiant barrier insulation is a reflective material installed on walls, ceilings, and attics. It reflects heat away from home, which helps to keep the home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

5. Storm Window

Storm window insulation is a type of film applied inside storm windows. It helps reflect heat away from home and blocks drafts and moisture.

6. Magnetic Window

Magnetic window insulation is a type of film applied to the inside windows. It contains magnets that help hold it in place and block out drafts and moisture.

Related: A Beginner’s Guide to home insulation.

Need Insulation Services in Middleburg Heights, OH?

Absolute Roofing and Construction, Inc has been serving the needs of homeowners in Middleburg Heights, OH, since 1985. We are a full-service roofing and remodeling company that can provide you with all your insulation needs to keep your home comfortable and energy efficient all year long. Contact us today for a free estimate on our services, and let us help you keep your home warm and cozy this winter.