Many homeowners are surprised to find out how much money they could be saving by simply installing insulation in their homes. The reason for this is simple:
Insulation helps prevent unwanted air and thermal movement in your home. This cuts down on energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on expensive heating and cooling systems.
Reduces Energy Bills
If you want to significantly reduce your energy bills, home insulation is one of the best investments you can make. It’s a simple way to cut the amount of time and money you spend running your heaters and air conditioners. In many cases, the initial cost of insulation can be recouped in less than a year, and you’ll enjoy significant savings on your energy costs all year round.
Heat and cooling account for up to 54% of a household’s energy use. Insulation helps to reduce these costs by stopping warm air from escaping in the winter and cool air from entering in the summer.
Depending on the type of insulation, it can also help to reduce draughts in your home – another common cause of high energy bills. Draughts are caused by the movement of air through windows, doors and letterboxes and can be easily fixed with draught-stopping products.
All types of insulation work by creating a barrier between your house and the outside world, inhibiting heat transfer. Cellulose insulation, for example, is an environmentally responsible material made from recycled newspapers and is less expensive than fiberglass. It’s also more comfortable for lungs and skin, so it’s often the preferred choice of many homeowners. Regardless of the type of insulation you choose, using an online calculator can give you an idea of your potential energy savings so you can plan accordingly.
Increases Home Value
Many homeowners are looking for different ways to add value to their homes. They may renovate their kitchens, give the backyard a makeover or even install a pool. One overlooked way to boost home value is adding or updating insulation. This energy-efficient upgrade will allow homeowners to save money on their heating and cooling costs and increase the comfort of their living space.
The EPA estimates that the average homeowner can save up to 15% on their energy bills by adding insulation in attics, crawl spaces, and basement rim joists. This is a significant return on investment for any homeowner.
If you’re planning to sell your home in the near future, upgrading your insulation will ensure that you get a good return on your investment. Having good insulation will increase your home’s market value, making it more attractive to potential buyers.
Home buyers are often looking for energy-efficient upgrades, so if you have great insulation in your home, it will be a selling point during the property inspection. This improvement will also help a buyer save money on their energy bill after moving in.
Updating your insulation is an easy home project that you can do on your own or with the help of a professional. It is usually a cheaper option than installing new appliances or replacing your HVAC system, and it will still improve the comfort of your home.
Reduces Noise
Insulation is often used to keep the temperature of a home consistent, but it also reduces unwanted noise. This can be especially useful for homes that are located near roads, trains, and other noisy places. With a good insulation, those sounds can be kept to a minimum and the home is a more peaceful place for families to relax.
Different types of insulation have different acoustic properties. Some, such as reflective insulation (like radiant barrier) that is installed in an attic, reflects heat from the Sun and can help keep a house cooler but doesn’t offer any noise reduction. Other insulation, like fiberglass and cellulose, helps to absorb sound waves and limit the transmission of those sounds between rooms.
When a homeowner installs insulation during a roof replacement, it’s an ideal opportunity to upgrade the home’s overall soundproofing. It’s easy for the contractor to add the dense-packed insulation between joists, making it much easier and less expensive to install than if it was done at a later date.
Foam insulation, such as cellulose, fiberglass and spray foam, can drastically decrease outside noises and internal sounds from room to room. It can be installed in walls, floors and ceilings of your home or business to help you enjoy a more peaceful environment. It will also reduce the amount of energy your HVAC system runs, which means you’ll have lower energy bills.
Reduces Allergies
Dust mites, pet dander, mildew and molds are the main indoor allergens that can affect your family year-round inside your home. These allergens can cause a variety of symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and coughing. Insulation can help keep allergens out and reduce allergy symptoms for your family.
Traditional fiberglass or cellulose insulation can trap airborne pollutants and allergens within its fibers over time. This can lead to a variety of health issues for your family, including allergies and asthma. If you have old insulation in your house, it’s important to replace it so that it can perform as intended and keep out pollen, allergens and other pollutants.
Insulation can be installed in your walls and ceilings to prevent the spread of allergens throughout your home. It is a great way to create a healthier and more comfortable home for you and your family. When selecting insulation, it’s important to look for a product that has an asthma & allergy friendly certification mark. This indicates that the insulation has been tested to ensure it will not release harmful chemicals or physical particles into your home during installation and disturbance.
If you want to reduce the allergens and contaminants in your home, installing spray foam insulation can be a smart choice. This type of insulation seals all gaps and nooks in your attic to ensure there are no places for moisture, pollutants, allergens or dust to hide. This will dramatically improve your indoor air quality, reducing allergy and asthma symptoms for your family.