Add Insulation in Problem Areas

Click Image For Larger View

Do you ever feel a cold draft in your home, even when the heat is on?

Does your upstairs feel like an oven during the summer?

Is it difficult to maintain a consistent temperature throughout your home?

Do you find that your electric or gas bills are excessively high?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you’re home probably needs more insulation.

According to the US Department of Energy, the cost of heating and cooling a home represents as much as 60% of total energy costs. With utility prices rising year over year, and more and more focus on staying home, finding ways to make your home more energy efficient and comfortable is a high priority.

There are a number of different ways to reduce energy costs in a home, including replacing windows and upgrading HVAC equipment. But the simplest, fastest and most cost effective way to reduce home energy costs and make your home more comfortable is by increasing the level of insulation in your home.

Heat naturally moves from warmer spaces to cooler spaces. In the winter, heat (in the form of radiant heat and hot air) moves from heated living spaces through the ceiling to unheated attics, through the floor to basements or crawl spaces and to the outside through leaks, such as those found around plumbing fixtures.

During the summer, the reverse is true, with heat entering the home through attics, basements and crawl spaces. HVAC systems are used to maintain a comfortable and consistent temperature in the home throughout the year, by removing heat gained in the summer and replacing heat lost in the winter. But maintaining a consistent temperature can be very costly.

Traditionally, insulation has been used to slow the transfer of heat into and out of the home. However, according to the US Department of Energy, only a small percentage of homes are insulated at the recommended level for maximizing energy efficiency. Inadequate levels of insulation result in greater energy loss (i.e., more heat entering and leaving the home), placing a greater load on the HVAC unit to maintain a comfortable temperature, thus increasing energy bills.

Increasing home insulation represents a compelling investment for homeowners.

• By increasing home insulation, heating and cooling costs (which account for 60% of total energy costs in the home) can be cut in half, resulting in reductions in total utility bills of up to 30%… permanently.
• Adding insulation to a home can increase home resale value.
  • According to a recent study[1], 96% of homeowners are likely to consider energy efficiency when buying a new home.
  • In fact, for every $1,000 reduction in annual utility costs, the value of a home is estimated to increase by approximately $20,000[2], so adding insulation can actually pay for itself…immediately.
• The Federal Government offers a dollar-for-dollar tax credit equal to 30% of the cost of new insulation (excluding labor), up to $1,500.
• Insulation also helps reduce carbon emissions. Electricity generation in the US accounts for about 40% of total carbon emissions. So reducing energy usage in the home has a direct impact on reducing greenhouse gases.

The most common areas of energy loss in a home, and thus the places where increased insulation will result in the greatest cost savings and increased comfort are:

• Attics;
• Unfinished Basements;
• Crawl Spaces;
• Bonus Rooms;
• Water Heaters; and
• Air Leakage around plumbing fixtures under sinks in bathrooms and kitchens.

Attics

The attic is the greatest source of energy loss in a home, accounting for as much as 40% of heat gain and loss in a home. Unfortunately, most homes have inadequate levels of insulation in the attic.

Imagine you are outside on a freezing cold day. You are bundled up with a heavy coat and gloves, but you are still cold. Then you put on a hat that covers you ears and, viola, you’ve found comfort. Insulation in an attic works the same way.

In the winter, heat rises from conditioned spaces into the attic, leaving the home for the cooler air outside. In the summer, radiant heat is absorbed by the roof and radiated into the air conditioned home. In addition, hot air enters the attic through ventilation (soffit vents, ridge vents and fans), and then passes through the attic into the conditioned spaces below. That’s why rooms on the second floor of a home, or bonus rooms adjoining the attic, are more difficult to keep cool during the summer. Consequently, adding insulation to the attic is likely to have a significant impact on energy savings and comfort.

Heat gains and losses through the attic can result in significant changes in attic temperature. Insulation on the attic floor will slow the transfer of heat and cold into and out of the living space below, but it won’t condition the attic itself. That’s why an attic can be extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter. If HVAC equipment and ducting is located in the attic, the extreme temperatures can significantly impact the unit’s efficiency. The HVAC unit has to work much harder to keep the home cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This increased work load greatly increases the cost of heating and cooling a home and puts unnecessary wear on the HVAC unit, reducing its expected lifetime.

With innovative insulation products that can be applied to the underside of roof decking, changes in attic temperatures can be significantly reduced, thereby reducing energy costs and making your home much more comfortable (by making it easier to maintain a consistent temperature year round).

Unfinished Basements

Unfinished basements provide another source for home energy loss. In many homes, plumbing and wiring enters the living space through holes in the basement floors and walls, providing an opportunity for air leakage. In addition, the ceiling and/or exterior walls may not be insulated. By insulating the ceiling and/or exterior walls of a basement, you can increase the temperature and comfort of the conditioned space above.

Crawl Spaces

Some homes have a space between the ground and the first level, called a “crawl space” (instead of a basement). Crawl Spaces provide an opportunity for outdoor air to infiltrate the home, resulting in energy loss.

Crawl spaces also serve as a breeding ground for moisture. Moisture comes up from the ground and enters the home, damaging sub-floors and/or the flooring above and promoting mold growth. Keeping the crawl space dry and insulated can be an important factor in both reducing energy costs and creating a healthier home environment (by eliminating one of the key ingredients for mold formation – moisture).

Bonus Rooms (Cubby Holes)

Many homes have a bonus room above or adjacent to unconditioned space (such as a room above a garage or adjacent to the attic). Other homes have storage spaces off bedrooms on a second floor, with access through a hatch or small door. These areas are often not insulated, resulting in significant heat loss and gain in the adjoining room.

[1] OC Omnibus Energy Policy Act Homeowner Awareness Survey

[2] Based on estimates by Wells Fargo

• Tweet