The role of insulation is to prevent heat escaping from your home. By trapping air pockets, insulation slows the movement of heat out of the house in the winter and into the house in the summer.
Looking to insulate your home? The walls, roof, and floors are the most important areas to insulate to keep you comfortable throughout the year and it also helps you save on energy bills!
Attic Insulation
Loose-fill is the best form of insulation installed in the attic – it is usually inexpensive to install and provides the best coverage. When insulating your attic, don’t forget about the knee walls in your home, which are vertical walls with attic space underneath. If you are remodeling, make sure you have enough space from your HVAC unit or water tank for proper insulation. TIP: Make sure to repair leaks or any other roof problems before you start to insulate your attic.
Wall Insulation
Up to a third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls. In order to figure out how to properly insulate your walls you must first find out what type of walls you have. Cavity walls are common in houses built after the 1920’s and are the easiest to insulate due to the gaps between the walls. Insulating solid walls on the other hand, can get a bit tricky. Insulation of solid walls involves placing insulation on the external or internal side of the wall to keep the heat in. This is the most costly option but you will see greater savings on your heating bill. Other types of walls that have insulation installed similarly to solid walls are steel-frame, timber-frame, and prefabricated concrete walls.
Floor Insulation
For upstairs rooms that are above heated rooms, such as a living room, insulation is not necessary, but insulation should be considered if the rooms are above a garage or a similar unheated room. Homes with suspended timber floors will need mineral wool insulation and homes with a ground floor made of solid concrete will need rigid insulation.
TIP: Before insulating your floors, seal all possible sources of air leakage – this will help minimize contamination.
Need help with roof repairs before insulating your home? At Landmark Exteriors, we understand how important it is to maintain your roof. No matter how big or small the damage, our professionals are here for your every repair and re-installation. To speak with on one of our professional staff members, give us a call at 203.838.3838.