Unless your house was designed explicitly with energy efficiency in mind, there are likely many opportunities to reduce your energy costs by adding a new layer of insulation - particularly in your attic. The attic is the area most susceptible to heat transfer.
A properly insulated attic can help you limit the heat transfer greatly and maintain comfortable temperatures in your house. Additionally, through lower energy bills, attic insulation will pay for itself over time.
Undoubtedly, there are many ways in which you can improve your house from security to energy savings, but one home up-gradation project that pays you back the fastest - attic insulation. Depending on your home and current insulation, upgrading your attic insulation can provide one of the highest return on investment opportunities available.
Since insulation is responsible for more than 60% of your home’s heat gain and loss, the right insulation material and installation can make a huge difference in your long-term savings. According to many insulation experts, adding attic insulation can pay for itself in as few as two years based on how much money you can save off your energy bills.
So, if you suspect that your house is under-insulated, it is high time to consider replacing your insulation. With insulated attics, crawlspaces, floors, and walls, you can save hundreds, or even thousands of dollars per year on heating and cooling costs. Also, your heating and cooling appliances will not get overloaded, extending their lifespan.
According to many reports, more than 80% of homes in the United States are under-insulated. So what are the chances of your house being properly insulated? Not good. As experts providing insulation services in Dallas-Fort Worth, we know that adding new insulation to your house can not only help you reduce your energy bills but also increase the resale value of your property.
In recent years, insulation standards have changed significantly. New insulation with higher R-values has been introduced in the market. They are, of course, more efficient, durable, and have longer lifespans than the previous ones.
It is not necessary to wait until you sell your house. You can upgrade your home insulation anytime and reap the benefits in both energy savings and comfort.
Insulating your house can help you save on heating costs in winter and cooling costs in summer. However, to get the most benefits from your insulation, at Critter Stop we recommend insulating the areas where your house is losing most of its energy.
As a smart homeowner, you must ensure that you are insulating the right areas with the right insulation material that will eventually yield the greatest return on investment. Every home has a different design, so it will differ somewhat in the areas that need increased insulation.
Some of the areas that, if insulated well, can help you save the most money are:
Attic insulation is undoubtedly the most important type to have in a Texas home. Attics are usually subjected more to heat transfer. So, when we provide insulation services, we recommend insulating your attic to limit the heat transfer.
If you improve your attic insulation, you will undoubtedly save in monthly energy bills. Over the lifespan of the new insulation, these savings really add up! If your house is located in less temperate regions of the country, you can save even more by insulating your attic. Almost without fail, the greatest return on investment insulation will come from properly insulating your attic.
While attics are subjected more to heat transfer, a great amount of heat is also lost through your exterior walls, especially if your existing insulation has worn out and is no longer functional. So, how do you check if your wall insulation needs replacement or not? Of course, you cannot just tear out all of your existing walls to replace your insulation.
The best approach is first to conduct the touch test. You will not need any professional help for conducting the test. You will need to touch the walls with your fingers and see if the walls are moist and cold. If they are, it means the existing insulation is no longer functional.
Many homeowners may think that replacing the wall insulation can cause a lot of destruction in your house. However, things have changed a lot in the last couple of years. Now, you can use minimally invasive tactics to inject insulation directly into the walls.
Another important area to insulate within your home is the floors, especially of unheated spaces. Insulating the floors of your house can help you maintain comfortable temperatures and reduce noise levels in your house. This is particularly important with subfloor areas between the first and second floor – especially if you have noisy kids with bedrooms upstairs!
Insulating Crawl Spaces
Crawlspaces beneath your home are necessary to access the areas that would be impossible to reach without them. Unfortunately, these areas, if left un-insulated, can lose a lot of heat. So, it is better to add a layer of new insulation to these areas.
Suppose you have nothing between the floor of your basement and the ground. If that is the case, you could be losing heat through that space. It can be difficult for you to maintain comfortable temperatures in your living spaces in extreme weather conditions.
However, if you add a layer of insulation in your basement, it can keep your body temperature regulated in the warmer and colder months.
From our experience at Critter Stop, renovating your home is the best time to upgrade your insulation. It gives a perfect opportunity to add more insulation to your house while attic roofs and walls studs are wide open and exposed.
Some of the great tips for insulating your house during a renovation project are:
If you are replacing drywall or building new walls, it is the perfect time to evaluate the condition of your existing insulation. If there is dust or mold, it is recommended to install new insulation.
While renovating your home, you have the opportunity to start fresh and install new insulation, without mold or dust. Also, you will be able to meet the recommended R-value and enjoy the benefits that come along with it.
You can consider insulation batts or fiberglass insulation for insulating your walls as it is easiest for homeowners to install. However, the spray foam insulation will give you the best insulation results as it will expand to fill in any cracks, holes, or gaps left. Also, it will yield the best R-value. The decision is not always easy though, as spray foam insulation is more expensive than other alternatives.
Attic insulation is crucial for keeping your house comfortable, especially in the colder and hotter months. However, your choice of insulation will depend on the roof framing system.
Suppose your roof is framed with rafters and also the floor space is open. In that case, you can use insulation batts between the horizontal joists. If the floor is finished, add insulation to the ceiling of the attic.
While insulation your attic, you must ensure that your new insulation layer is not blocking the soffit vents. Otherwise, your house will have no proper ventilation system, which can eventually result in mold growth. Mold is a hazardous substance that can become a severe health concern for you and your family if not taken care of immediately.
If you consider adding a new siding to your house during your renovation project, make sure it is insulated. You can buy insulated vinyl siding that comes with high quality and rigid foam attached to its back.
The energy that you lose every day from your home has a significant impact on the environment and your pocket. Many homeowners put off investing in insulation since it is “out of sight, out of mind.” However, in reality, insulation is not something to dread – it can help you save your hard-earned money on heating and cooling costs.
Whatever type, amount, and area that you decide to add insulation, it is probably wise to get the opinion of a local insulation contractor that can offer an additional opinion. They will guide you from the consultation to the execution stage and turn it into an effective energy-saving solution. Critter Stop not only provides critter removal services, but we also regularly help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes, lowering their bills, reducing their footprint, and increasing the value of their home. Call us at (214) 234-2616 to get your house well-insulated!
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