Home insulation should be carried out with a lot of care. If it is done in a hurry or improperly, you will only waste your time and can even increase your energy bills instead of reducing them. Below are some areas you should think of insulating to make your home more energy efficient.
Places to Look For Home Insulation Improvements
a) Attic
90 percent of the heat at home escapes through the attic. Studies have shown that the attic is the primary source or cooling and heating loss during the year. If you are looking to upgrade your home insulation, this should you your first start.
b) Walls
If your home was built many years earlier, it may be time to upgrade the wall insulation. Today’s insulation standards rank many homes under insulated. To determine whether you need to upgrade the wall insulation, call in an energy auditor. The auditor will use a number of techniques such as thermographic and infrared whole house scans to determine whether or not the wall insulation is sufficient.
c) Basement and crawlspaces
Just because the basement or crawlspaces are below the ground does not mean they does not need insulation. While they benefit from natural insulation, its impact is negligible according to modern insulation requirements. During winter, the basement and crawlspaces can be the greatest source of floor heat loss. Get them insulated to reduce your energy bills.
d) Doors and windows
Doors and windows can contribute up to 40% of natural heat loss in the house. Every time they are open, heat is lost. Even if you close them, there are still leaks that occur at poorly sealed places on the doors or windows. To do an upgrade, install high efficiency doors and windows in your home.
e) Seal air leaks areas
Insulating the attic, windows, doors, and basement will significantly help to conserve heat in your home. However, small air leaks in the home can drain the heat gains that you are striving for. Leaks from wiring and plumbing penetrations are common in most homes. While they may appear negligible, they can contribute huge energy losses when they are combined.
The above are some areas you should think about when you want to carry out home insulation.