You've probably heard that insulating your home is one of the best investments you can make. It's true! Find out what insulation is used for, why you need it, what it does and which type is best for your home.
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Do I need insulation?
In a word, yes. Insulation can help lower both your summer air conditioning bills and your winter heating bills, probably saving you money. Attic insulation in particular can provide comfort and cost-savings for years to come.
What does insulation do?
Insulation helps ensure maximum home efficiency by reducing heat flow. The primary purpose of insulation is to help keep your home's interior at the desired temperature while reducing the amount of energy used.
During the cold winter months, heat flows from your home's heated space to unheated spaces, like the attic or even outdoors. Heat flow can even move through walls and ceilings whenever there's a difference in temperature.
In the summer months, heat can flow from the outdoors into your nice, air-conditioned home. To keep your home comfortable, you need to help prevent heat from entering by resisting heat flow with insulation.
What is the best type of insulation?
While there are several types of insulation available, cellulose insulation is a popular selection for a variety of reasons.
- It's good for the environment: Often called "green insulation," cellulose insulation includes a minimum of 75 percent post-consumer paper, as mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency. This paper is almost always old newsprint. The cellulose industry has used an estimated 840 million pounds of recycled newspaper to produce insulation so far!
- It's fire-retardant: The other 25 percent or so of cellulose insulation is made up of fire-retardant chemicals and, in some cases, acrylic binders. This gives cellulose insulation a Class 1 fire rating, meaning it's highly resistant to fire.
- It's highly effective: R-value is used to calculate insulation's resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation is. Cellulose insulation has the highest R-value of any loose-fill insulation option, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
- It's the perfect fit every time: Cellulose insulation is loose-fill, which means it's effective for attics because it can be blown into cramped spaces. Loose-fill insulation also doesn't settle as much as other types, which helps to maintain its R-value over time.
Now that you know what insulation is used for, interested in helping lower your energy bills and making your home more comfortable? Schedule your free inspection today!
