There are many things on peoples’ “to-do” lists this time of year when it comes to increasing the performance of their homes for the colder months ahead. They want to save money, reduce energy consumption and ensure a comfortable house.
Here at BelRed, we can make informed, personalized decisions when it comes to proper insulation in your home. For the purposes of this two part blog post series, we’ve given you some insight and tips on where to start when thinking about insulation upgrades or first-time installs. Below, you’ll find part 1 of the series.
Start with the R-value. The R-value listed on the packaging of insulation is its thermal resistance measurement. This rating could and should have a significant impact on your selection process. Certain insulation with a high R-value, such as spray foam, can allow you to get more insulation with less overall thickness. This can be extremely valuable for external walls or cathedral ceilings, for example.
Insulate all appropriate areas of the home. Knowing where your house loses the most energy is important knowledge to have prior to any insulation home improvement project. Ensuring proper insulation in all appropriate areas of your home can lead to huge energy savings and comfort. Attics, basements, walls, floors and crawlspaces should all have good insulation.
Be prepared to clean up old, existing insulation. While sometimes simply adding more insulation to an area can increase the overall r-value and performance of your home, sometimes removing old insulation is the best place to start. Over time, insulation can break down, rip or become displaced—especially if other work has been done in that area. This can compromise the performance of that area. Starting with a clean slate and having the insulation installed correctly can be extremely beneficial.
Insulation can bring a huge amount of value to your home’s overall energy efficiency. This is especially true now, as there are many incentive and rebate programs in our area that can bring a great deal of savings to this type of project and provide short-term and long-term benefits to you and your home. Organizations such as Snohomish County Public Utility District, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), and Community Power Works are offering big rebates for insulation projects.
Call BelRed today to find out about current incentive programs and a specialized plan for your home insulation needs.
