FORT LAUDERDALE Blog

Make Insulation your New Year’s Resolution

Are you looking for a home renovation project to kick start the new year with a more energy-efficient home? Then you've found the right place! The past years, the holidays have been spent at home more than ever, limiting vacations and making our house the perfect staycation spot. That means that a comfortable home is key to making everyone feel like they're on holiday, but only a few people actually know that with small household changes you can make your home more comfortable than ever. Adding proper insulation delivers one of the highest benefits because it's nearly impossible to achieve the comfy and conditioned feeling without it. Insulation is also great for getting rid of pests and any dust that can give you and your family a bad case of allergies. Let's make it our New Year's resolution to have a healthy, insulated home.

What does insulation exactly do?

You're probably asking yourself, what does insulation do that my air conditioning cannot? Insulation does exactly what your HVAC system needs in order to work to its full potential. Many people assume that their home is hot because the air conditioning isn't working well, and in many cases that is simply not true. The reason it isn't working to its full potential is because of all the air that escapes through small gaps in your home’s attic and overall envelope. Actually, approximately a third of a home’s air leakage happens through floors, ceilings and walls while windows are only responsible for roughly 10% of air leakage. So if you’re choosing one home improvement project, these underestimated areas should be insulated!

How to tell if you need new insulation in 2023

Does your home have drafty areas?

Air easily travels between little gaps around cables, plumbing or ductwork and can create drafty areas with hot or cold air that are uncomfortable to be in. Insulation fills those gaps and creates a sealed environment so you can finally be comfortable in your own home. 

Do your utility bills constantly increase?

One of the easiest ways to know if you need insulation is a look at your energy bill. Energy prices have been increasing immensely over the last few years but that is not the only reason you’re overpaying. Energy is one of the highest household bills averaging $117.46 across the US (and more in the Florida!) which makes sense since 90% of American homes are under-insulated or not insulated at all. Counteract those energy prices by insulating your home and saving money (up to 30%) on your energy bill each month by investing in quality insulation to put an extra layer between you and the high outside temperatures in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Blown-In, Batt and Spray Foam Insulation all provide superior protection against the heat and will give your air conditioning unit and wallet a break by saving you some energy.

Is your home dusty?

Do you feel like you clean everyday but somehow the next day everything is dusty again? It's most likely because of tiny cracks and crevices in your house’s envelope that allow for dust and hot air from outside to enter your home. Insulation seals and covers those areas and will keep the expensive, cold air inside.

Do you think your HVAC system needs an upgrade?

If your home doesn’t maintain a cool, comfortable temperature, you might think that your air conditioning unit is not working properly. This is rarely the case and the actual culprit is your missing or insufficient insulation which is making your air conditioning work more than it should without necessarily delivering what you're paying for. Installing insulation usually solves most temperature-related problems leaving your A/C with less work as your house can maintain its temperature better without heating up to the outside temperature. 

Are you worried about mold & mildew?

Living in South Florida, you’re more than familiar with the high humidity and its consequences. Your home should be the place where you can escape that humidity but even the simplest of daily activities like breathing or cooking create an excess of moisture, making our homes feel even more damp, unpleasant, and uncomfortable to spend time in. And aside from it affecting your own comfort, humidity is actually the perfect breeding ground for mold & mildew which pose serious health risks for you and your family. Insulation and air sealing the attic makes it possible to keep moisture out of your home by sealing it from the outside. With the vapor barrier created by insulation, you reduce the amount of moisture that is free to transfer around your home and minimize the risk of mold and mildew growth.
Insulation’s benefits combined with off-season installation savings can make replacing or installing your home’s insulation one of the smartest investments you’ll make all year. Invest in your home now by putting insulation on your New Year’s Resolution list and save money all of 2023 (and many more years to come!). We hope these resolutions will kick start your 2023 and if you have any questions, contact us! We have many offers to ease the up-front cost of upgrading your home to be more energy efficient.

Here at Koala Insulation of Miami & Fort Lauderdale, we wish you a happy, healthy and well insulated new year!