MICHIANA Blog

How the Right Insulation Reduces Your Home’s Carbon Footprint

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When you think about reducing your carbon footprint, your mind likely goes to recycling, turning off lights, or planting more greenery outside. However, ensuring you have enough home insulation can be even more effective because it keeps your space energy efficient. Here’s a guide to the importance of this concept and how to make sure your home is properly covered. 

What Insulation Does

Insulation is a material that reduces heat transfer between spaces. It is often installed in attics, along the inside of walls, and underneath flooring in homes. Materials like glass fiber and cellulose absorb heat into tiny air pockets, preventing it from moving outside in the winter or inside during summer. Additionally, specialized insulation like spray foam creates an airtight barrier to physically block air from passing from inside to outside. 

How It Lowers Your Carbon Footprint

Many homes run heating and cooling equipment to keep their interior comfortable throughout the year. Insulation dramatically slows or prevents this treated air from escaping through the walls or attic, allowing your HVAC to run less frequently. Since these systems are powered by electricity or natural gas, fewer resources are burned, and your home produces fewer emissions. 

How to Make Sure Your Home Is Properly Insulated

If your property is especially cold in the winter or warm in the summer, insufficient home insulation may be to blame. It can also cause high utility bills and create significant temperature variances along exterior walls, ceilings, and floors. During the winter, you might see random spots of melted snow on an otherwise-covered roof, which could mean that the insulation at that point is weak. Generally, attics need about a foot of insulation, and all gaps or drafty areas should be sealed. Request an insulation inspection if you suspect your house isn’t as energy efficient as it could be or if you’re just moving in. 

If you’re ready to improve your home insulation to lower your carbon footprint, contact Koala Insulation of Michiana. Serving customers in Mishawaka, IN, Michiana, MI, and the surrounding communities, the team provides personalized service to ensure that each home is as comfortable and energy-efficient as possible. To request an estimate, Indiana customers should go online or call (574) 544-6433, while Michigan customers can visit this website or call (269) 266-3689.