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How insulation impacts energy efficiency in Corning NY

How Insulation Impacts Energy Efficiency

To understand the impact insulation has on energy efficiency you need to know where energy is used the most in your home. Heating and cooling are hands-down the largest energy consumers. According to the Department of Energy, heating and cooling account for 50% and 70% of all energy used in the average home. About 20% of energy goes to heating water, and only 10% to 30% goes to all other energy sources.

From these statistics, and the basic knowledge that insulation aids in heating and cooling, it’s easy to draw a conclusion that insulation should have a big impact on a home’s energy efficiency. The question then arises as to how exactly insulation does its job to increase a home’s efficiency. To answer this, it’s necessary to understand all the places insulation is used—or should be used—in your home.

Most everyone knows that insulation is used in an attic because the insulation there is exposed for the eye to see, But your home also needs insulation under the floors, in the walls, around windows and doors, in the basement or crawl space, and anywhere pipes or wiring enter the home. These are all places where energy can be lost to the outdoors if insulation is inadequate or missing, which directly impacts energy efficiency.

Quality insulation that has been correctly selected and professionally installed in all the places mentioned above can reduce the work a heating or cooling system performs by 60%. That’s a huge impact, but it’s highly dependent on the quality of materials and installation. Also, note that reducing the work of the heating and cooling system by 60% doesn’t affect your home’s overall energy usage by the same amount because there are other sources of energy usage besides just heating and cooling. That said, proper insulation can make a noticeable difference in the monthly energy bill.

In addition to making sure insulation is used in all the right places, it’s also critical that the right type of insulation be used. And different places in the home will likely need different types of insulation. Insulation types include batt, blown-in, foam, and more. If the wrong type of insulation is used then your home’s energy efficiency will be negatively affected.

Controlling Air Leakage

Energy Star found that up to 30% of a home’s energy loss comes from air leakage. A huge part of controlling energy efficiency is controlling that leakage. Both open- and closed-cell spray foams are great at completely covering and sealing every square inch of a surface. They are more than just insulators—they seal against air movement and leakage. Since spray foam creates an absolute barrier against heat and air movement, it is a great defense against energy loss.

While this isn’t meant to be an advertisement for spray foam, this type of insulation is great at stopping air leakage. It is unique in its ability to be applied literally to any place an air leak may occur. It can be used along the roof line, in holes for wiring and plumbing, around HVAC ducts, and along the edges of doors and windows. No matter how large or small the gap, spray foam can seal it. And because it is applied under pressure it can find its way into places where the human eye wouldn’t be able to detect a leak. Even if there are no actual leaks, spray foam can fill otherwise un-insulated spaces to improve the overall insulation quality of your home.

Unlike some types of insulation, spray foam is a long-term solution. The U.S. Department of Energy conducted a study that proved spray foam, when properly installed, held up to the test of time while also providing superior insulation and sealing properties. And, though it’s an unusual and unique application, the U.S. Army found that use of spray foam in their enclosed desert tents reduced their energy costs by 50%.

One of the primary areas where spray foam is used is on the underside of the roof inside the attic. And, since heat rises, the roof is the primary collector and dissipater of heat. The use of insulation there allows it to control heat loss with highest efficiency.

Did you know that most homes are built without insulation applied directly to the underside of the roof? It’s true. Applying insulation there is an improvement, and with spray foam’s unique abilities to conform to any surface and fill or cover all cracks and crevices, the thermal efficiency improvement can be dramatic.

Spray foam—especially closed-cell foam—is a better insulator than the most commonly used type of insulation, which is fiberglass. Closed-cell foam has approximately twice the R-Value per inch than that of fiberglass. This does not take into account its sealing and crevice-finding abilities—just the nature of spray foam’s chemical makeup means that it is a better insulating material. In fact, Renewable Energy World quotes a government finding that homes treated with spray foam insulate approximately 50% better than homes without it.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if insulation is doing its job—until you see the monthly energy bill. But spray foam makes a difference that you can actually feel. When spray foam is used in the attic it can keep temperatures there within ten degrees of living space temperatures. If you’ve ever walked into a hot attic in the summer, then that’s a difference you would instantly be able to recognize. By keeping the attic cooler, it makes it easier for the HVAC system to keep the living spaces cooler, therefore lowering overall energy costs.

Three Types of Heat Transfer

There are three types of heat transfer, and all three types must be managed in order to maximize a home’s energy efficiency. The three heat transfer types are:

Conductive – the flow of heat through an object from a higher to a lower temperature.

Radiant – when heat in the form of light is emitted by warm surfaces.

Convective – heat that is transported by a gas or fluid, such as water or air.

Different types of insulation control heat transfer to varying degrees. But once again, spray foam stands out because it is effective at handling all three types of heat transfer. It is an all-in-one insulating material.

How Do I Make Sure My Home is Energy Efficient?

The number one move is hiring an experienced insulation company for an evaluation. An inspection by a qualified insulation expert and a consultation with that expert will let you know exactly where your home stands regarding energy efficiency, and they will let you know where it can be improved.

At Koala Insulation, our technicians are experts in all kinds of insulation materials and installation techniques. Our experts bring state-of-the-art equipment with them to thoroughly inspect your home or building top to bottom, inside and out. They will give you a detailed assessment of your home. They will design a custom solution to meet your needs, and will help answer your questions about the status of your insulation. And since every building is unique, your expert may suggest a combination of installation options to protect your home from noise, cold, heat, moisture, and pests.

Don’t forget that the investment you make today will reap years of energy-saving benefits. Contact us now to schedule a consultation to start your journey toward higher energy efficiency and better protection for your home.