If you’re looking to save money, both now and in the long term, improving your home’s insulation is an excellent way to accomplish this. While most of us focus on the actual appliances themselves, making sure that we’re buying Energy Star certified products with high efficiency raings, they can only do so much good if your home’s insulation isn’t doing its job.
Understanding household insulation is a vital step. There are many different types of insulation, and each type has its place and use within a home. Let’s look at the most common types of insulation found in most homes:
1. Blanket or Batt Insulation. This is the type of insulation that is sold in big rolls and is placed between the wall studs or between the rafters in a ceiling. This is by far the most common type of insulation used in homes. It’s typically made of a combination of fiberglass, natural and man-made fibers.
2. Blown-In Insulation. This is a “green” type of insulation that is typically used in attics and crawl spaces. It’s made up of cellulose and may contain recycled newspapers and paper. This type of installation can also be used in situations where exterior walls need to be re-insulated without tearing down the existing drywall.
3. Rigid Foam Insulation. This type of insulation is sold in sheets and is used in newer homes as well as in older homes with plaster walls where blown-in insulation is not feasible.
Understanding household insulation can help you make the right choices if you decide to re-insulate your home to improve your energy efficiency. This is particularly true if you’re going to upgrade your heating or cooling unit and you want to take full advantage of potential energy savings.
Contact the professionals at Ernst Heating and Cooling if you have any questions about understanding household insulation and your home’s heating or cooling needs. We’ve been serving the Metro-East area since 1951.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about household insulation and other HVAC topics, visit our blog.
Ernst Heating & Cooling services Hamel, Illinois and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!