You not only want proper insulation to ensure that your home is comfortable year round, but it also helps save you money on energy bills. Without proper insulation, you not only risk losing money, but you add stress to your heating and cooling systems. The immense amount of energy it takes to reduce uncomfortable energy levels in your home can overburden or even damage your HVAC system and ruin a perfectly good day… fast.
In order to get the most out of proper insulation installation, there are a few tips and tricks passed down by industry professionals that can end up saving you from life’s discomforts. The following examples are here to help inform and allow you to make proper insulation installation decisions.
Understanding the Importance of Insulation
Insulation, no matter what the material, all works towards the same goal, which is to trap tiny air pockets that slow down the movement of heat leaving your house in the winter, and keeping it from coming in during the summer. The effectiveness of one’s insulation comes down to an R-value. Simply put, the higher the R-value, the lower your energy bills throughout the year.
Now, depending on where your home is located in the country, and whether or not you have a wood-framed home, there are different recommended R-values people should strive for, in order to maximize their energy efficiency. For example, if you are in the Los Angeles, CA, or Southern California area, uninsulated attics are recommended for an R-value of 30 to 60, R-values of 19 to 25 for floors, and R-values of 25 to 38 for existing insulation.
In order to achieve the proper R-value, one’s insulation must be installed correctly. As a matter of fact, improper insulation installation can actually make things worse—a situation anyone in their right mind would like to avoid.
How to Properly Install Insulation
While most people enjoy a good do-it-yourself project, being able to determine whether or not you can install insulation on your own depends on a few different factors. These may include:
- If the space you wish to insulate is accessible
- The type of material you wish to use for insulation
- Your level of construction skill and experience
Do not forget that proper R-value depends heavily on proper insulation installation, so if you want your home to fall within the legal building limits, you absolutely must follow these standards. Not doing so can cause more headaches than just higher energy bills.
The two most commonly used insulation materials include Batt insulation and loose-fill insulation. Batt insulation includes fiberglass, rock wool, and slag wool. And loose-fill insulation uses materials mostly composed from a cellulose-like substance.
When it comes to doing it yourself, Batt insulation is the easiest to deal with and requires very few tools to properly install. When installing, there are a few things you must do to avoid improper installation which include:
- Filling all voids using proper cutting measurements
- Fit batts tightly around electrical cables and boxes
- Fit first, then cut to length
- Trim batts in place
- Fill gaps around windows and doors
When it comes to loose-fill insulation, the process is more involved and requires blowing machines to properly disperse the insulation material. Rather than doing it yourself, your best bet would be to hire a professional to do the job for you, unless you yourself are a professional.
In Conclusion
By ensuring that the right amount of insulation is installed in your home, or by adding more to your existing structure, you can achieve better energy efficiency and comfort in your dwelling for years to come. If you notice uncomfortable energy levels in your home, you may want to inspect your insulation to assure that you are getting the most out of your insulation, and that it is saving you money in the long run.