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Have You Checked Your Insulation Lately?

September 8, 2015

The crunch of leaves under your feet, the crisp chill in the air, before you know it fall will be here and with it comes cold weather. Before you kick on the heater, make sure you’re caught up on insulation and how it could save you money through the colder months.

The first thing you should do is check your insulation and make sure it meets the recommended level for your area. Insulation is measured by R-value. Simply put, R-value is the resistance to heat flow through material. Higher R-value makes a warmer house without having to run the heater as warm or as often.

So, now that you know a little more about insulation, does that mean you need it?

There are a few things that would make it necessary to add to or change your insulation:

  • You have an old home that hasn’t had added insulation in years.
  • You are uncomfortably cold in the winter and hot in the summer.
  • You often pay excessive energy bills.

Assuming you said yes to one or more of these issues, there are a few more important things to know before moving forward with an insulation project. Insulation should be installed in the walls, ceilings, floors and attic, depending on where cold air is getting in.

Insulation is usually added during the initial building of the house, but if you have experienced any of the aforementioned issues, there are options to keep you warm through the winter. The following are different types of insulation that should be installed in specific places to reduce cold air leaking into the house.

  • Bats and Rolls – This insulation is made up of one of the following: fiberglass, plastic fibers, natural fiber or rock wool. Bats and rolls are the easiest to work with and should be used in floors, walls and ceilings, placed between studs and joists. You can use this in your attic or basement if you don’t have access between walls and floors.
  • Foam board or rigid board , This insulation option is made of Polystyrene or polyurethane and is great for anything from the foundation to the attic. This insulation option is not as easy to work with as bats and rolls but it does a great job keeping heat in.
  • Loose fill or blown in , Usually made of fiberglass, this option is great for hard to reach places like attics. Another positive of loose fill insulation is that it can be used over existing insulation. Loose fill can fill an area like an attic to fit between the small, hard to reach areas.

Insulation is a great way to keep your house warm and lower heating costs. Adding insulation reduces your environmental impact; the less energy you use, the smaller your carbon footprint.

For more information about heating, cooling and staying safe in your home, call 317-291-4909 to schedule an appointment.

Give Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, a call today and have your insulation inspected by one of our qualified contractors

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