PEARLAND Blog

What Are The Most Common Places Your Home Can Lose Heat

About 90% of homes are underinsulated and improperly sealed, according to recent studies. With the proper coverage, Energy Star estimates residents could save an average of 15% on heating and cooling costs. It's great to have those numbers in front of you, but what does your insulation have to do with improving your monthly savings? 

Insulation reduces the rate of heat transfer, which is how easily heat can move through a structure, while air sealing reduces air leaks that could be creating a drafty, uncomfortable home. While many homeowners may understand the importance of having updated materials in their building, they may only think of the attic since other places - like inside walls or under the floor - are “out of sight, out of mind”. Here are the top 5 places contributing to heat loss in your home!

5 Areas in Your Home That Contribute to Heat Loss

1. Unsealed Openings

Cracks, holes, and gaps around the home can lead to a significant amount of heat loss. Especially around areas like your windows, it’s estimated that poor air sealing can account for up to 30% of the air leaks in your home! While making sure your doors, windows, and other outdoor access points are well sealed, there are a number of cracks and crevices that can let conditioned air and heat escape. 

While having well-maintained weatherstripping and caulking noticeable spaces is a great habit to practice, sometimes it takes an industry professional's touch to find the unnoticed areas. Having an expert inspect your home can help you and your household locate overlooked gaps and poorly sealed locations. These seemingly small openings can be found and taken care of quickly and effectively with the right industry practices. 

1. Basement

Another primary culprit for heat loss and air leaks in your home is around the basement and crawl space areas. Basement walls specifically can be responsible for up to 20% of escaped air, especially if you have an unfinished basement. If you’re not planning on finishing this space, it’s important to have cement walls and the underfloor area covered in quality material.

Insulating the walls of the basement and any outdoor access points helps to prevent heat loss and save your home from increased heating and cooling fees. It’s also important to insulate any equipment like pipes to ensure the space is safer. Having a well-insulated basement helps to reduce the strain put on your heater in the winter, especially!

1. Underinsulated Floors

Many homeowners aren’t aware that there needs to be insulation installed under the floor throughout their crawlspaces and basement ceilings! Your home’s underfloor insulation plays a very important role in keeping the house comfortable. 10% of heat can be lost through the floor when there isn’t adequate coverage or properly installed material. 

While having new or upgraded insulation installed won't necessarily have a "heating" effect on the floor, it can help to reduce that frigid feeling you get when temperatures start to drop. In addition to reducing problematic heat loss, the material installed here also provides a vapor barrier. Moisture from the ground and lower floors can create condensation which contributes to problems like mold growth or wood warp. Having this area regularly inspected and maintained not only saves you on monthly bills but also on potential hazards and damages.

1. Framed Walls

Similar to the insulation in the floors, the material throughout the walls is commonly forgotten as a key area to keep well-maintained. Over time, the material here deteriorates allowing for heat, noise, and air to flow freely throughout the building. If you’re experiencing cold spots or drafts, it may be time to call in the experts to use industry methods like thermal imaging to check the quality of your coverage. 

Up to 35% of heat can be lost through the walls in your home, which not only includes the exterior and basement walls but your interior framed walls as well. Your exterior walls have direct contact with the outdoor air and poor insulation installation can allow for unregulated heat transfer. Your interior walls are just as important to maintain to reduce noise from room to room and regulate the temperature through each space. 

1. The Attic

You’re probably the most familiar with the insulation within your attic. Batts or spray foam can be found along the walls while loose-fill insulation is installed on the floor for most attic spaces. Unfortunately, while most homeowners are aware of the insulation above their heads, that doesn’t mean they’re aware that this space needs to be regularly inspected. Infestation, moisture, and other damages significantly deteriorate the lifespan of the material and how well it can reduce heat transfer. 

Your home is most at risk of the stack effect during the cold months and poor insulation in your attic is the biggest culprit of unregulated temperatures. The stack effect is when the heat rises in your home and escapes through your ceiling and roof. Having regular evaluations from your local insulation team can help you find poor coverage, damaged material, and deteriorated areas that need to be updated to help you prevent higher expenses and potential health hazards from pests or mold.

How To Reduce Heat Loss in Your Southeastern Texas Home

Updated insulation and air sealing are essential to keeping your home safe and comfortable throughout the year! When you lack the proper coverage, you may experience drafts, cold spots, and irregular temperatures throughout the house. With your local insulation professionals at Koala Insulation of Pearland, you and your household can target areas that are losing heat and costing you extra in monthly utility bills.

In addition to offering free evaluations, our team prioritizes finding cost-effective and environmentally friendly products to help improve your environment. If you’re missing quality insulation and air sealing around your home, we can help you find the right material to replace or add to what you may already have. Learn more with your local Texan experts by contacting Koala Insulation of Pearland today to schedule your free evaluation!