Home Insulation Saves 10%

By checking that your household's insulation is adequate is a very quick and simple way to save money on your monthly energy bills.

A first-class structure will protect your house from external temperatures as well as preventing air leaks and controlling moisture. It will do this by combining different insulation products and building methods.

Did you know? that by having the correct installation products in your house that you can save up to 10% on your cooling and heating needs.

If you live in a house older than 1980; find you home cold in winter and/or hot in summer; are paying heaps on energy; or even want to reduce outside noise; then it is probably time to up date your insulation.

Firstly, you will need to determine what insulation you have and if it comes up to the recommended levels for your area. You can do this by examining your floors, ceiling, loft, exterior and cellar walls and crawl areas.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has put out a chart indicating areas across America with the recommended insulation requirements. It is measured by an R-value, with the higher the R-value the more energy efficient.

Today, there is a large variety of insulation materials available. However, the four main types are rolls and batts, loose-fill, rigid foam and foam in place.

When choosing your insulation be sure to take into account your local climate and your own homes design as well as budget. This will assist in selecting the correct R-values for your own situation.

A lot of heat is lost through your attic and this can be an easy place to start improving your homes energy efficiency. Installing insulation in your loft is a comparatively straightforward task and a cost-effective way to make your house more comfortable all year. Also ensure your access door to the attic is adequately sealed.

If your attic has adequate insulation and your house still feels too cold or too hot, then the odds are you will require insulation in the external walls. This is a more difficult and expensive undertaking that is generally best left to a professional contractor. It may however, still prove to be cost effective over several years.

In addition to this you may also benefit greatly from adding insulation to your crawl space.

If you do decide to install it your self, it is imperative that you read all the product information. And follow the product instructions on installation and wear the proper protective gear when installing insulation. Each product is different requiring specific instructions.

If building a new home it is sensible to start with great insulation from the start. And with new products coming onto the market all the time, there is sure to be a cost effective solution for your new home. Some of the current products available provide structural support as well as insulation these include structural insulated panes (SIPS) and insulating concrete forms.

And, in the age of being environmentally friendly some builders are resorting to earlier building techniques of building with straw bales which provide excellent insulation.

With a little research you will find the right product for your home and wish you had done it earlier.


To Success In You Home Improvements
Bill Brennan


For more of Bill's home improvement hits read about how laminate flooring and resilient flooring can benefit your home.