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Think You Need New Windows? Insulate Instead & Save in Corning NY

Think You Need New Windows? Insulate Instead & Save

Do you have high energy bills? Are you looking to replace your windows to fix the problem but wondering how you could possibly afford them? Do you suspect your kid’s college fund is about to be, well...thrown out the window? Then it’s time to consider a less costly and more effective solution. That’s right—you can spend less and save more.

The first thing most people think of when trying to save on their heating and cooling bill is usually window replacement. After all, windows are one of the most visible parts of your home while insulation rarely comes to mind because it’s never seen. Most homes, however, aren’t properly insulated. Yet insulation is the number one way to save energy—and an insulation upgrade is likely to cost considerably less than new windows.

Why not Windows?

Let’s face it—there’s a good chance that new windows will help with energy savings, especially if you have old wood-frame windows or even older single-pane glass. Even relatively efficient double-pane windows can be a problem over time because the insulating gas between the panes can escape. It’s also possible that windows were hurriedly and improperly installed by a homebuilder focused more on meeting deadlines than doing a good job. Gaps can form around windows over time as a house settles. And, of course, some older windows were never energy efficient to start with. So, if windows can be such a problem, why not replace them?

There are two main reasons to look at other places before considering a window replacement. The first—and perhaps biggest—is cost. The average cost to replace a single window, including labor, is about $550 at the time of this writing. Multiply that by the number of windows in your home and you're looking at thousands. And that cost is for average-quality windows. Top-quality windows can cost $1000 each. For most homeowners, the small pain each month of a high energy bill is much easier to swallow than the cost of window replacement. And it’s quite possible that the cost of window replacement is so high that a homeowner will never recover their money in the monthly energy savings even if they stay in the same home for a decade or more.

The second reason to steer away from windows as a first-choice option is that they are not the best way to save energy. It’s actually more important to have proper overall home insulation than it is to have highly efficient windows. Why not tackle the number one way to make your home more efficient rather than focusing on a lesser option?

But didn’t the Builder already Insulate my Home?

If your home was built in the last century then it probably has some level of insulation in it. If you live in a really old home or mobile home, it’s possible you have no insulation at all. For insulated homes, however, the problem occurs with the quality of insulation originally installed.

Building standards, building codes, and technologies change over time. What was acceptable years ago may no longer be acceptable today. Just because your home has insulation doesn’t mean it’s efficient by today’s standards. Beyond this, it’s important to realize that even newer homes are only required to meet minimum government standards. Energy efficiency isn’t always the top priority for a home builder, so most homes are simply built to the standard they can “get away with.” To have a highly efficient home it’s important to go beyond the minimum.

Retrofitting can involve simply supplementing your existing insulation or replacing it altogether. It can also refer to re-installing insulation if it was not installed properly the first time or the insulation was old or damaged.

How do I Evaluate the Quality of my Home’s Insulation?

The average homeowner doesn’t have the knowledge or tools to fully evaluate a home’s energy efficiency. A proper assessment involves numerous factors. A professional has to determine the quality of insulation in the attic, walls, and between floors. Windows and doors figure into the equation. The size, age, and type of the heating and cooling system(s) can be a big factor. And even tiny little things like whether or not electrical outlets and switches have been insulated are a part of the overall picture. It may require specialized tools such as infrared heat sensors to see where a home is losing heat—or letting heat in.

The one area that a homeowner may be able to examine to get an idea of the quality of a home’s insulation in the attic. If you’re willing to crawl around a bit with a tape measure and flashlight then you may be able to get an idea of how good your insulation is. Using this chart, you can determine how much insulation your home should have, which is dependent on where you live. But remember when performing your evaluation that there may be hidden deficiencies that an expert will better be able to evaluate. Insulation must be consistently applied over the entire surface of the attic, and the type of insulation comes into play. Environmental factors specific to the home’s location may be a factor. Also, simply measuring the thickness of insulation—even if measurements are taken at multiple points in the attic—won’t provide a hard-and-fast answer to the insulation question because different types of insulation provide differing efficiencies per inch. A homeowner’s attic evaluation will only provide a rough idea if there is a glaring problem. A true assessment should be left to a professional.

For areas other than the attic, it’s just about impossible for a homeowner to perform an evaluation. For example, how are you going to determine what kind of insulation is between your walls? You’re not going to start tearing out sheetrock or paneling, are you? This is where a professional’s expertise comes into play.

What now—Insulation, Windows, or Something Else?

The simple answer is that the best way to know if or when your insulation needs a retrofit is to schedule an inspection by a qualified insulation expert. A local, qualified insulation expert will be well-versed in all city codes and regulations and can give expert advice on what your building may or may not need not only to be compliant but be as efficient as possible.

At Koala Insulation, our experts are well-versed in all kinds of insulation materials and installation techniques. When you book an inspection with one of our experts, they will arrive with state-of-the-art equipment to thoroughly inspect your building from top to bottom. They will provide a detailed assessment of the current conditions of your home and use their years of experience to design bespoke solutions to meet your needs.

Every building is different, so your expert may suggest a combination of installation options to best protect your home against various issues involving cold, heat, moisture, or other intrusions.

By hiring a Koala Insulation expert, you not only get a building that is protected against moisture, pests, and other issues, but you also get to benefit from the years of energy savings that professionally installed insulation will bring. Contact us now to schedule a consultation and be on your way to reaping the energy-saving benefits of custom-fit, expert-installed insulation.