Insulating your Home from Heat

home points of insulation suggestions
Image courtesy of Robin Hood Energy

 

The thermostat is one of the most expensive things in the home. Particularly for the cold regions, keeping your house at optimal temperature costs a lot of money. But it is also expensive to cool your home, especially if you live somewhere very hot. While you can insulate your home from cold weather, you can also get insulation against the heat. This will help keep your house cool. When you use the insulation materials properly, you can make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient. According to the site MoneyPug, which is commonly used to compare energy suppliers, this can significantly reduce heating and cooling bills during the year.

heat loss from dwellings
Points of Heat or Cold Loss

Benefits of Insulation

You can save up to 20 percent on your home’s thermostat costs. Insulation keeps the cold air in when you want it to but it also keeps the hot air in when you want it to. On your total energy costs, up to 10 percent on its total energy costs by adding insulation to attics, floors, and crawl spaces. You can reduce unwanted air leaks around your house to keep the air you want in and the air you want out. The money you save when you put the effort in to install insulation will surprise you. You will save so much that it will pay for itself.

Types of Insulation

insulation in the exterior walls

There are many different types of insulation. Blankets, which include batts and rolls, this insulation is the most common type used in homes around the United States. Loose fill is an adaptable type of insulation can conform to any space without disturbing any structures or finishes. Sprayed or foamed-in-place insulation allows you to fill the smallest cavities. From roof to the foundation, rigid insulation reduces energy losses through the house’s frame. Finally, the two most effective insulation types for warm climates are reflective insulation and a radiant barrier. Reflective insulation is the most effective in reducing downward heat flow and a radiant barrier is useful in sunny climates to keep your home cool.

R-Value

The ability to reduce heat that flows between the inside and outside of your home, material to reduce the flow of heat is called R-value. The greater the R-value the more the heat is reduced. The cost of your insulation depends on R-value and type of material. The costs vary due to the retail level. Price for loose-fill and spray foam are based on professional installation and reflect both material and labor costs.

Insulating your Attic

attic insulation work

If your home is older and was built before standards for insulation were improved, the heat in your attic may be making your home hotter. Furthermore, if the insulation was installed more than 20 years ago, its effectiveness may have deteriorated. You will need to get new insulation to keep your home cooler. R-values measure how effectively insulation resists heats flow into your cooled spaces below. It is also important not to over insulate.

Radiant Barrier & Reflective Insulation

Radiant barriers are expensive, but they will help you cool the house down. Thermal insulation is what is put into most attics. This includes mineral wool, cellulose, and urethane foam or similar products. Thermal insulation slows down the passage of hot air into air-conditioned rooms and radiant barrier insulation makes use of reflective materials like foil to keep heat from entering your home through your attic. Reflective insulation keeps the heat away from the home, putting it back into atmosphere.

When you live in a hot climate, installing the proper insulation will help you keep your home cool. You should of course choose the right type of insulation to keep your home free of heat. Depending on how when your home was built, you may need new insulation or to add insulation for the first time. You will be surprised at how much this will help you keep cool. When you take the steps to cool down your home with insulation, you will be shocked how much you save. When you do your best to keep the cool air in, your bills will go down quite a lot. However you look at it, insulating your home will pay for itself in a matter of time.

 

About Amanda

I love to buy a lot of products for the home, and dissect them out. I split them into duds and winners, and share the findings here on my site. As a reader of my site, I'm aiming for your next purchase to be an informed and inspired one.

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