PANAMA CITY Blog

High Electric Bill? We Can Help Panama City FL | Koala Insulation

Paying too much on your electric bill?  We can help!

Improving your homes insulation is one of the most economical ways to increase the value of your home, all while saving you money on your monthly bill and helping the environment by decreasing your carbon footprint.  Good insulation is a gift that keeps on giving!  The return on investment (ROI) is immediate and continues to save you money as long as you own your home, unlike remodeling your kitchen or bathrooms which can provide an increased ROI when you sell your home.  Improving your homes insulation will begin saving you money immediately and can increase the value of your home long term, all while helping save the environment for future generations!

What are the top 5 signs you need insulation?

1.  Your electric bill is too high

2.  Your AC runs all the time

3  Some parts of your home are warmer than others

4.  Your home is older than 5 years old

5.  You have suffered damage to your roof

How Can Updating Your Insulation Help?

Overview:

Up to 30% of cooled air can be lost through the roof of your home. This can cost you hundreds to thousands of extra dollars annually. The insulation in your home's attic forms a barrier between the unrelenting heat of the hot Florida sun and your indoor living space.  The deeper the insulation the greater the resistance to heat transfer or loss.  In the Florida Panhandle where heat and humidity make for sweltering summer temperatures, sometimes year round, it is vital you have adequate insulation. R- Value is the term builders used to describe insulation resistance to heat infiltration.  An R-Value of R-38 is required here in the 850 and surrounding areas of Florida to meet minimum building code requirements.  In laymen terms, this means if you have blown in fiberglass or cellulose in your attic a depth of about 14 inches is necessary to meet this minimal building code requirement.  

What We Do:

We are happy to send out a highly trained technician to conduct a free attic assessment.  

Step 1:

The technician will spend about 30 minutes in your attic doing observations, measurements, temperature readings and taking photos.   

Step 2:

Armed with the data he will be able to make accurate and specific recommendations for improvements if needed.   He will share his findings with you and answer any questions you may have.  This will include: your current insulation levels and any problems he may have encountered. 

Step 3:

Once the technician has shared his findings and answered any questions you may have.  He will be able to make specific recommendations for your home improvement project 

Example:

Findings:

The technician reports to you, with photo evidence, that show you currently  only have an average of seven inches of blown cellulose insulation in your attic.  

 Recommendation:

You can add another six inches of insulation and the results will immediately begin to pay for themselves with lowered energy bills and a more comfortable home.  

Insulation Options

What are the most common insulation options?  

Traditional blown in insulation includes fiberglass insulation or cellulose insulation in the attic.  Fiberglass is made up of  tiny fibers from spun glass.  Cellulose is a recycled paper product.  Both are good insulators.  Fiberglass can be many colors but you are likely most familiar with the pink stuff.  It is not insect and rodent resistant and can suffer damage from as a result.  Cellulose is primarily ground up recycled newsprint that is treated with boric acid or borates to make it insect and rodent resistant.  Special equipment is used to blow the insulation into the attic space.  Rulers are affixed to the vertical trusses so the install crew can deposit the appropriate depth of insulation.  This is a great economical option for decreasing your energy cost and lessening your carbon footprint.

Other Options and Accessories

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) is a great option!  It is made on site when two chemicals are mixed (isocyanate and polyol resin) and sprayed with special machinery.  Traditional insulation is blown in on the floor of the attic.  Spray foam is sprayed overhead in the attic, on the underside of the roof deck.  This is nice if you use your attic space for storage because it frees up the floor space and makes the attic temperature bearable even in the summer.  There are two main types of SPF open cell and closed cell.

Open Cell Spray Foam Open cell SPF is porous like a sponge cut in half. Its cellular structure is made up of tiny bubbles filled with air.  About 80% of these bubbles burst making open cells, hence the name open cell.  This creates a lot of surface area and it is therefore a great sound barrier as well as insulator. Open cell is easier on the wallet because it expands nearly 100% making it cover a large area.  However, open cell SPF is not water proof.  It can and will retain water if it is exposed over time.  It can be dried out and used if it is caught early and done correctly.

Closed Cell Spray Foam

Like open cell SPF, closed cell is made on site by special machinery that mixes two chemicals. It sprays out through a special spray gun and expands approximately 30% as the liquid chemicals are activated.  It is dense weighing about two pounds per cubic foot.  Closed cell SPF is made up of tiny gas filled bubbles.  The majority of these bubbles stay intact or closed, thus, the name closed cell spray foam.  Due to its dense molecular structure closed cell SPF has the most R-value per square inch.  It is very strong! adding up to 300% strength to the structure when properly applied. In addition closed cell SPF is virtually waterproof.  It is very hard and will not absorb water in most circumstances.  

Accessories

Solar Attic Fans

Solar attic fans are free to operate as they rely total on the sun.  When the sun is shining on your roof the 1550 cubic feet per minute(CFM), whisper quiet, solar fan is operating and cooling your attic from summer temps of 150 degrees down to around 110 degrees.  If the sun is not shining on the roof, your attic is not heating up. Solar attic fans are eligible for a 26% federal income tax credit and come close to paying for themselves in only one year with the credit and electricity savings.  The solar fan is installed by one of our highly trained technicians in about one hour.  One of our valued customers saves $60 a month after getting his fan installed.