What to Consider Before Insulating Your Home
A review from the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA revealed that homeowners can save as much as 20 percent on heating and cooling expenses at home through proper sealing and insulation. Home insulation is important especially if you are living in areas that have the four seasons of the year. Proper insulation is also a great way to lessen energy expenses. Home improvement can drain your budget depending on the extent of the said home project. You can avail affordable home additions or find a home additions builder who can offer an affordable home addition design. One of the most important parts of building a house is installing a proper insulation system. Here are things that you should know first before insulating your home. All about insulation For starters, insulation is a type of material used to reduce the heat or cold getting into a house or building. There are different uses for insulation such as thermal, soundproofing, and electrical insulations. When it comes to homes, it is the thermal insulation that is often used. Among popular insulation materials include fiberglass and cellulose. These can be used both for thermal and soundproofing insulation. Insulation is a big help especially during the winter months by keeping your house warm and lessens the household’s dependency on heaters. This means proper insulation systems can also improve your house’s energy efficiency and lower your utility bills. As mentioned, there are different types of insulation aside from fiberglass and cellulose. These include others such as radiant barrier insulations (usually installed under the roof or the attic), rigid foam insulation, and Rockwool insulation (made of minerals and rocks turned into temperature-proof fibers). Common insulation mistakes If you are planning for a home remodeling addition, make sure to include a good insulation system in your plan. It can regulate the temperature in your home, especially during the cold season. The key here is to install the insulation system properly. However, there are still a lot of people who commit these common insulation mistakes. Here are some of them that you should avoid as much as possible. Forgetting air sealing As mentioned, insulation helps regulate temperature going in and out of your house. However, this should not block air movement, either. Otherwise, your insulation system will be in vain. Using old insulation systems Installing insulation systems can cost a fortune. That is why a lot of homeowners would find a way to save money on home improvement or a home addition design. One thing DIYers do is pulling out old insulation. However, it can cost you more unlike when you hire experts to do so. Old homes like the ones built in the 50’s or 60’s used asbestos as insulation. On the one hand, asbestos is generally safe when left unbothered. But when you disturb the material like removing it or moving it somewhere, that is where the problem starts. The same goes for vermiculite, which is somewhat linked to asbestos. Overstuffing insulation So you think the more you stuff insulation in your home makes it already better? Unfortunately, not so. When using fiberglass insulation, it’s the air […]
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