Improving Your House's Insulation
One of several key subjects in house upgrading currently is energy efficiency since it is directly correlated with saving house owners money on their monthly energy bills. And the fact is, if your house was not constructed recently with new eco-efficient technologies, your house and budget will profit by enhancing your existing insulation.
It is important to first determine what exactly you're dealing with by doing a thorough home inspection of the presently existing insulation. If you're not a certified contractor who specializes in house insulation, it is best to hire a certified house energy inspector. These auditors will not just have the ability to tell you where, what, and how much insulation you've already got but they will additionally identify parts of your house which have to be air sealed. It is crucial to make sure that your home is correctly air sealed prior to putting in insulation. If you plan on conducting your personal inspection be sure to figure out where your house already has insulation and in what area it must be added, what kind of insulation your house has, and its R-value and thickness.
If you're having a problem determining the R-value, see the US Department of Energy's online insulation fact sheet that will assist you to figure it out. From there you will want to make use of their Zip Code Insulation Calculator too, to determine just how much insulation you need to add so as to get the highest benefit. The US Department of Energy's web site also gives information regarding cost estimates and the return you must see for your investment together with government rebate and tax credit information.
The following is a listing of various kinds of insulation. Blanket, batts and rolls are usually made out of fiberglass, wool, plastic or natural materials that are simple to put in on your own in unfinished walls. Concrete block insulation uses foam beads or liquid that calls for special masonry skills to install into unfinished walls. This type of insulation gives as much as ten times the amount of insulation value as conventional concrete. Foam boards or rigid foam give a high value of insulation without much thickness. Insulating concrete forms are placed during the building's construction which helps to create a high thermal resistance. Loose-fill cellulose, fiberglass, or wool is blown into position using specialized equipment that are ideal for putting in insulation to completed places. Reflective systems are foil-faced craft paper or plastic films which are suitable for Do-It-Yourself tasks at the framing stage. Rigid fibrous or fiber insulation is perfect for insulation areas that are subjected to excessive temperatures like duct systems. Spray foams are a good way to add insulation to your existing completed areas or small spaces. Finally, structural insulated panels are foam boards that incorporate a liquid foam core and are used to form the walls during construction of the house.
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