Insulation is a great way to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It can also reduce energy costs. Insulation is generally a one-time investment that can be paid for in less than a year by the energy savings.
Installing good insulation is best done during construction, but it can be retrofitted in existing homes as well. Here are some ways it can save you money:
Reduces Heat Loss
A well-insulated building loses less energy than an uninsulated one. It can retain heat in the winter and cool air in the summer, reducing the need for your home or office to use cooling or heating systems as much. This means lower utility bills for you.
The amount of energy that can be saved by insulation depends on a number of factors, such as how much heating and cooling is used in a given year, how many air leaks there are around windows, doors, electrical outlets and recessed lighting, and the type of insulation and R-value chosen. However, on average, homeowners can save up to 15% on their energy bills (and more than 10% of their heating and cooling costs) by adding insulation and sealing air leaks.
Insulation works to reduce energy loss by preventing unwanted air movement and building thermal resistance. Different types of insulation are rated by their R-value and thermal efficiency, with higher R-values providing greater energy savings.
Heat flows easily from warm to cold areas, but a properly installed insulation system reduces the flow of hot air to cooler spaces. This means less air conditioning usage in the summer and less heating usage in the winter, meaning you’ll have to pay less in energy bills. This can help lower your carbon footprint as well since using less energy equals fewer fossil fuels used and less emissions produced.
Reduces Cooling Loss
Insulation works by reducing and disrupting the flow of heat between areas in your building. This means less of the hot air in winter and cool air in summer gets lost, which can significantly reduce energy usage and bills.
A lot of energy is wasted by the flow of heat through walls and floors, escaping through openings like doors and windows, or through air leaks in attics and basement rim joists. These energy losses can be a major contributor to rising electricity costs. Insulation is a cheap and simple solution to help stop your home or workplace losing energy, making it easier and cheaper to heat in the winter and keep cool in the summer.
Draught proofing can also be a quick and easy fix to reduce energy consumption, especially around the edges of doors and windows, letterbox openings and keyholes. This is a very cost effective measure to take that can often be done by yourself, with the exception of some door and window frame repairs.
Insulation is one of the most cost-effective ways to save on energy bills and lower your carbon footprint. Adding insulation to your home or workplace can retain up to 80% of the heat during the colder months and up to 80% of the cooling during the summer, cutting energy usage and your bill significantly. In addition, most utilities run programs that assist with the cost of installing insulation in residential buildings – either by offering rebates, or vetting local contractors to install it for you.
Reduces Energy Bills
Insulation slows conductive heat transfer with the outside air, keeping your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. This means you’ll use less energy to keep your home comfortable and cut down on your electricity bills.
Uninsulated or improperly insulated homes waste expensive energy due to air leaks, gaps, and holes in the building envelope. The EPA estimates homeowners can save a national average of 15% on heating and cooling costs (11% total energy costs) by sealing air leaks and adding insulation.
Adding or upgrading your insulation is the most cost-effective way to reduce your energy bill, especially when combined with air sealing. Insulating your attic is the best place to start because it’s quick, easy and relatively inexpensive (unless you live in the Northeast). For example, a professional can install an additional layer of fiberglass insulation in an attic with existing R-11 insulation for about $1,500 or around $600 DIY.
Many utilities have rebate or incentive programs to offset the costs of insulating your home or business. Be sure to check with your local utility to see if they have any options available. Insulation is also a great investment to make for new construction. It will increase the value of your property and lower energy costs over time.
Reduces Carbon Footprint
Insulation prevents heat loss during the winter and traps it during the summer, dramatically reducing energy consumption. This results in reduced greenhouse gas emissions – the primary contributor to climate change. It also reduces the strain on power grids and helps mitigate dependence on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change as well.
In addition to its energy benefits, insulation significantly reduces the embodied carbon (emissions associated with making construction materials) of homes and buildings. The lower embodied carbon of insulation means it is a more sustainable product, and one that can be used for many building applications.
Many different insulation products are available, but some have higher embodied carbon than others. One way to assess an insulation’s sustainability is to look at its carbon payback – how quickly the embodied carbon of the product is offset by the carbon savings in homes/buildings that it provides over its lifetime.
In a time when environmental consciousness is high, reducing the carbon footprint of residential spaces is more important than ever. Using cellulose insulation like SANCTUARY in new builds and home retrofits, or in the attics of existing homes can help eliminate a significant portion of the embodied carbon associated with concrete and steel, while improving thermal, moisture and air performance. This is a truly sustainable insulation solution that can contribute to net-zero buildings and help achieve the goals of global warming mitigation and carbon capture.