CINCINNATI Blog

How to stay warm at home

Can’t believe it’s already 2022 and we are in January? And the winter cold has arrived in Cincinnati! It seems like just yesterday we were going through summer and cooling our homes with air conditioning to fight our humid heat here. We all rely heavily on our heating units and insulation to keep our homes warm during the long winter months. In order for your heating unit to do its job well, you’ll need plenty of insulation around the house.

I recently read a blog with the title “How to stay warm in your home while keeping your energy costs down”, and it had a number of suggestions.  A few of them I did agree with but many just missed the mark, they were not the most significant or impactful improvements a homeowner can make, ironically the blog was written by someone who is not in the energy efficiency business.  Ill touch on a few of these examples by this blogger and then I will share with you the top tips to improve the efficiency of your home.

In the blog that I read, they talked quite a bit about fans in your home, installing window treatments or curtains and applying a booster fan to your HVAC system.  Quite honestly, each of these really puzzled me as a professional in the industry.  I thought to myself if I had to make a list of 5-10 improvements to your home, those that the blog mentioned would not have come to my mind and definitely would not be in my top 10 list. 

Ill keep it simple, with the top 2 most impactful improvements to address “How to stay warm in your home while keeping your energy costs down”;

Tip #1: Start in the attic, ensure you have a properly insulated attic

If you don’t have insulation in your attic space or an adequate amount, this is a great place to start! Since warm air rises, if your attic doesn’t contain adequate insulation, all of that hot air is just being leaked back outside. There are many different types of insulation you can install and they do not all work the same. We’ll discuss two types that can not only keep your home warm but will save you money!

Fiberglass insulation is a type of material that can be made from very fine fibers, usually glass. It has the ability to retain heat and insulate effectively for use in homes with high temperatures inside or outside its structure – making it an affordable option when compared against other types of more expensive alternative energy-efficient solutions like spray foam installation services.

Fiberglass batts typically offer around 3 per inch (R values) at best. This is one of the most common materials used for insulation and a great option for attic insulation.

Another common material, cellulose is made from about 85% recycled paper with minerals added to create a fire and insect-resistant. It has an R-value of 3 per inch (the more insulation in your space the better) and you can install it using this specialized blower machine that sprays several inches into any open area for maximum insulating efficiency! Cellulose is a great option for your attic space.

The good thing about both of these insulations is they increase the energy efficiency in your home.

Tip #2: Air seal cracks in attic, basement rim joists, doors, windows, and vents to keep the warmth inside your home

Any cracks or holes present in your home’s attic, foundation, walls, and windows will let air escape. Make sure to seal up these small spaces to ensure you don’t lose any heating units due to a drafty house. If you have a drafty home, all of the heat your heating unit is working hard to create is being wasted by allowing cold outside air in.

If you’re not sure where to start and what you need to do to keep your home warm this winter, start with contacting Koala Insulation of Cincinnati for a free energy evaluation. Our qualified team will keep it simple, and will help you identify where you’re losing the most heat in your home and what changes you can make to remedy that. Have Koala visit you in your home before the dead of winter hits!