How Insulation Affects Energy Efficiency at Home

Electricity bills are skyrocketing. This is a common problem faced by homeowners nowadays. Everyone needs to be comfortable at home, so the air conditioner is on all day during the summer, and the heater is on during winter. However, it is also vital to save money on utility bills. Where do you find the balance? How do you make sure that you are saving energy and, at the same time keeping your family comfortable all year round? This is where insulation comes in. Using home insulation can be one of the best decisions you can make.

What Is Energy Efficient Insulation?

Insulation is a cost-effective and energy-saving way to regulate your home’s energy consumption. In seasons like winter and summer, energy efficient insulation plays a significant role. It prevents heat from escaping your house during cold seasons and keeps warm air from entering during hot seasons. It comes in different forms, like foam, fiberglass, and loose-fill. There are several places you can install insulation around your house, with popular areas being in the attic, basement, and roofs of your house.

When talking to insulation companies and asking about their services, you will notice they answer the common question, “what does insulation do?” and they also mention the R-value a lot. An insulation material is given an R-value to indicate how efficient it is. With a high R-value, it shows that your insulation materials are highly efficient. 

How Does Insulation Increase Energy Efficiency?

Energy saving can be done through various efforts, especially by applying insulation at home. You want to ensure that your heating and cooling costs are as low as possible. In an energy-efficient home, it is ideal to have both interior insulation and exterior insulation.

This increases your energy savings, and you can also save on your utility bills as well. Insulation increases energy efficiency because:

• It reduces your energy consumption.

• Your need and demand for heating and cooling systems decrease.

• Improve the efficiency of your existing HVAC systems.

As mentioned above, seasons like summer and winter highly affect your energy consumption. There are different climate zones that have more summers than winters and vice versa. Climate zones often dictate the heating and cooling costs based on their need and demand. 

Colder areas often need heating systems, while warmer regions need cooling systems. This in turn influences how much energy you need to use, and how much you are able to save. 

As homeowners, you now have to be more responsible when it comes to saving money and practicing energy efficiency. Here is a list of some ways you can do so:

Reducing Energy Consumption

Conserving energy at home or reducing energy consumption can be done in various ways. You need to be diligent every day in making necessary efforts to reduce energy usage. There are fundamental practices you can apply daily, and includes the following:

• Turning off electrical appliances when not in use. 

• Unplugging chords, chargers, and other electronics when not in use. 

• Lessening your water usage and tightly shutting faucets and other water sources.

Lessening Thermal Bridging

How does insulation help conserve energy? There is also another practice you can do that is not so common—it is to reduce thermal bridging. Homeowners often overlook thermal bridging. Most especially during winter, when your heater is turned on to keep the house warm, thermal bridging occurs. It is when warm air inside your home leaks through the air barrier and wants to escape to the outer walls into the cooler air.

Thermal bridging can be a major cause for your utility bills to go up. You want to ensure that you reduce thermal bridging as best as possible.

This is why you must use insulation at home. Home insulation installed is a great way to minimize your energy consumption. You will be surprised at how much your money and energy savings will improve.

Decreases Demand for Heating and Cooling Systems

Homes inevitably need heat flow and air cooling systems to be comfortable places to live in. Insulation can decrease the demand for heating and cooling systems because it essentially maintains the desired temperature throughout any season. There are practices you can apply to ensure that you are keeping your need for heating and cooling systems low. In turn, you are also ensuring that you are conserving more energy.

Other Ways to Decrease Demand for Heating and Cooling Systems

• Control your ventilation. Always make sure that you close your windows and door frames when you are trying to keep the air in. 

• Control your heating. Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature, depending on the season.

• Plan carefully. You can start as early as the construction process. There are many ways to ensure your home is built with energy-efficient insulation material.

• Add insulation. There are different areas in your home to do so, especially in the wall cavities, ceilings, attics, roofs, and basements.

• Consider insulating floors and foundation insulation. It also prevents air leaks that may cause your home to feel warmer or colder than it should. Air leakage may be uncomfortable for you and your family in the long run.

Improves Efficiency of Existing HVAC Systems

Insulation can improve the efficiency of existing HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems because it provides consistency. There is a consistent temperature that can be set and consistency in the amount of energy that is conserved.

When you want to improve the efficiency of your existing HVAC systems and upgrade their overall quality, you need to invest in high-quality ones. Although most standard HVAC systems are efficient in their own ways, it is still important to consider installing insulation.

Insulation materials boost thermal resistance, help improve HVAC efficiency, and allow you to save more energy.

Air leaks are another problem many homeowners face, mainly because of faulty or old HVAC systems. Sealing air leaks is also possible through insulating concrete forms—it is necessary to work with the experts on this.

It is always advisable to consult professional companies, especially knowledgeable contractors, if you are unsure about installing insulation and the whole process behind it.

What Type of Energy Saving Insulation Works Best?

It may get overwhelming at first, especially if you are new to insulation and what value it can bring to your home. These are some of the best insulation materials that you can consider investing in:

Foam Insulation

These are great for newly constructed houses. Foam insulation usually takes the shape of a low-density elastomer or polymer, such as rigid foam boards, that acts as a thermal barrier around a component. This can also be between an interior area and a hot or cold source.

Attic Insulation

For renovation, consider attic insulation. It provides a barrier that limits energy loss from the interior of your house to the exterior walls. Similar to an air seal, it also protects your home when the outside temperature reaches an extreme level during both summer and winter.

Fiberglass Insulation

Ideal for homeowners seeking to remodel their houses. Composed of extremely fine glass fibers, fiberglass is an extremely common insulation material. It is often used in several types of insulation, including rolls, loose fill, and blanket batt insulation.

Spray Foam Insulation

This is best for existing finished areas and hard-to-reach spaces. Spray foam insulation is an air and insulation barrier material that seals the wall cavity, floors, and ceiling cavity against air movement. This includes spaces around lights and other electrical outlets and where walls meet windows and doors.

Loose Fill Insulation

Best for attic floors. Also known as cellulose, it is a type of blown-in insulation commonly used in attic floors. It fits in any space without ruining structures or finishes in your home and it also keeps bugs, and insects away.

Conclusion

A lot of homeowners face the problem of high energy and utility bills. There is a need to stay comfortable during hot summers and cold winters; therefore, HVAC systems are switched on when necessary. Luckily, there is a way to save energy and money while keeping a comfortable temperature throughout any season. This is through insulation. 

Insulation saves a lot of money and energy. It increases energy efficiency in various ways, such as reducing energy consumption. Now that you know that the best insulation materials differ, you can choose the right one to fit your different needs.  

Insulation does not only save money and expenses but investing in your comfort also. What are you waiting for? Get your home insulated today.