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Proper insulation will help you cut energy costs by containing treated (cooled or heated) air in your
living spaces. It also blocks external air from contaminating treated air in your home.
When you contain treated air, your living spaces cool or heat more quickly. And you minimize the need to re-treat
contained air in order to maintain temperatures. The less you treat your air, the less energy you consume, the more you
save.
Insulation also creates a thermal barrier preventing external temperatures from penetrating into your home via
walls, floors, and roof structures.
Insulation materials provide a resistance barrier to temperatures and air exchange. Insulation materials are
graded based on resistance levels called "R" values. The higher the "R" value the greater the resistance therefore the
better the insulating capacity of the material.
Insulation will also prolong the life of your heating and cooling systems by minimizing the ongoing
performance load required to achieve desired temperatures.
But insulation alone does not prevent energy loss or prevent moisture damage from occurring.
In order for your insulation to be most effective, you should be sure that all air leaks are sealed. This will ensure
that treated air does not escape or become diluted with air entering from outside.
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You should also be sure to use an insulation material that can act as a vapor retardant in your attic space.
Each day, moisture from showers, laundry, and other activities rises up into your attic space. If your attic insulation
does not retard moisture, condensation of moisture can accumulate on your attic walls and ceiling. Over time this condensation can wreak havoc on your
home structure and possibly cause illness. (see moisture damage).
We recommend a fiber glass material that can be sprayed into your attic. Owens blown-in fiber glass is moisture and
vermin retardant and can be easily installed over existing attic insulation.
The Unites States, Department of Energy issues ideal insultion recommendations, by location. Insulation levels are
graded by what is known as "R" values. Click here for to determine
what the recommended
"R" value is for you area. |
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