SW CHICAGO Blog

Your Next New Years Resolution: An Energy Efficient Home

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that only about 46% of people successfully achieve the resolutions they set for the new year. However, we see this as an enticing challenge: how can we reinvent success and meet our challenges by thinking outside of the box? 40% of people say their resolutions for 2022 involve being more environmentally friendly, putting energy efficiency on the list of top resolution goals. Upgrading your home’s insulation and air sealing can actually contribute to successfully checking this off your list!

Most homeowners only have a surface-level understanding of insulation’s impact on their home. While they may be aware of the material within their attic, it still falls under the  “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. Did you know insulation is also installed in the walls, floors, ceiling, and throughout the basement and crawl spaces? While industry experts may be familiar with the Department of Energy’s breakdown of where a home should be insulated, it can look a bit complicated to the untrained eye. Our team at Koala Insulation of Southwest Chicago has simplified the information so you and your household can more easily understand the significant role insulation plays in your home’s comfort and safety.

Insulation Basics

In order to understand where insulation should be placed in your home, you need to first know the basic function and use of the material. The primary use of insulation is to reduce the rate of heat transfer. This is the rate at which heat enters or escapes a building’s structure and is measured based on the material’s R-value.

An insulation’s R-value, also known as resistance value, is the numerical measurement of the material’s ability to resist heat. With higher R-values, the insulation is better able to aid in temperature regulation, keeping your house evenly heated or cooled. If you notice your AC is working harder, one side of the house isn’t as cold as the rest, or there’s a sudden increase in monthly utility bills, old or improperly installed insulation could be the culprit.

5 Places in Your Home that Need Insulation

Attic

You're probably already familiar with the insulation in your attic. Most houses have some type of blown-in or loose-fill insulation lining the floor with fiberglass, mineral wool, or cellulose as the material. You most likely had this type in your childhood home if you recall your parents ever telling you not to eat the fluffy material upstairs. However, just because you can see the insulation lining your floor doesn't mean the home is necessarily well-insulated.

In order to ensure your home is properly covered, it’s important to have your attic insulation regularly checked and updated. Because heat rises, the topmost part of your house can turn into a furnace in the summer and an escape for warmth in the winter. While you may be concerned with giving the house room to “breath”, air sealing and covering all walls, ceilings, and floors help keep the building temperature regulated.

Walls

Having the walls throughout the building well-insulated is crucial to temperature regulation. But this isn't the only benefit the packed-in material provides you and other residents. It's a major contributing factor to things like noise repression, mold and moisture resistance, and even pest control depending on the material type. With the use of thermal imaging testing, your local technicians at Koala Insulation of Southwest Chicago will be able to tell you whether or not your walls are in need of retrofitted insulation.

The walls and foundation of your home are built with the intention of protecting you from the outside elements, pollutants, and pests. Without the support of insulation and air sealing, your supports aren't able to get the job done nearly as efficiently. Insulation works as a cushion for both heat and sound waves, reducing the ability of these forces to enter and exit your house.

Floors

For many homeowners, it may come as a surprise that insulating your floors can be just as important as covering your attic and walls. Regardless of whether you live in a multi-story home, have a basement or crawlspace, or you’ve transformed your attic space into an additional living area or bedroom, your floors could be the prime suspect of escaped air.

Underinsulated homes see an increase in uncomfortable drafts, moisture problems, and mold growth. These health hazards, along with the potential for invasive pollutants, bacteria, and other outdoor pests, are why air sealing and insulation play a crucial role in keeping your household safe. With a free evaluation, you can determine where your home is lacking under those old floorboards.

Ceilings

When thinking about temperature regulation, it’s important to not only consider from room to room but from floor to ceiling as well. As mentioned earlier, heat rises and most often escapes and enters through the top of your building. Therefore, your ceilings in the upper floors and attic should be properly insulated with strong, durable material. Homeowners most commonly use batt insulation made from fiberglass or mineral wool, but spray foam is just as helpful of an option.

Underinsulated ceilings are a main contributing factor to heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. With help from your local insulation experts, you can greatly reduce unwanted heat transfer throughout your home with a simple thermal imaging test. Every technician on the Koala Insulation team is trained and ready to help educate homeowners on the importance of a well-insulated building.

Basement & Crawl Spaces

Whether you have a basement or crawl spaces under your home, insulating these areas can significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs. The Department of Energy states that sufficiently covering these areas “saves you money on heating and provides a dry, comfortable living space.” Like your attic space, these lower levels most likely cover a significant area under your house, if not the entire foundation. Therefore, maintaining their insulation is crucial.

Similar to the importance of insulating your floors, the underground levels of your home greatly contribute to air leakage, moisture build-up, mold, and even pest nesting. Regardless of whether you choose to have fiberglass, cellulose, spray foam, or another type of material installed in the lower levels of your home, local experts will be able to get you the most savings without sacrificing comfort and safety.

Increase Energy Efficiency with Southwest Chicago Experts

Insulation contributes to energy efficiency before even making it into your home. The insulation industry is evolving and growing every year. Similar to how building codes and standards are updated regularly to include sustainable practices and environmentally friendly research, insulation manufacturers and installers are continuously shifting their practices to be more green.

Koala Insulation of Southwest Chicago makes it a priority to use environmentally friendly practices and products. When it comes to helping educate the general public on insulation materials and methods, our team emphasizes the need for a cost-effective job that helps decrease your carbon footprint. Contact our team today to schedule a free evaluation and learn more about insulation’s impact on your home.