If you wish for an energy efficient home, the first place to check is your insulation. Our cold winters make large demands on home insulation in Ontario. As it is a major component in reducing energy loss, you want to buy the best quality insulation for your budget. Whether you are installing insulation in a new home or upgrading your current home, here are four tips for assuring it provides optimum energy efficiency:
- Do not miss spots: It is not unusual for homebuyers to order an inspection and learn there are walls and rooms missing insulation. Do not make this mistake when re-insulating your home or installing insulation in new construction. Generally, every room and area in your home should be insulated. That includes your attic and garage—especially if your garage is unheated and right underneath a living area floor. If you cannot accomplish floor installation, include the foundation walls of unvented crawl spaces. In fact, insulate all crawl spaces against living areas. You can arrange for an audit of your home’s energy shortcomings to determine where you require higher-rated insulation.
- Pick the right kind: There are many types of insulation available and there is no one-size-fits-all that will work for your entire home. Your attic requires a different rating than your bedrooms. Garages offer special challenges, and it may be best to leave them to professionals, especially on garages that share walls with living spaces. With the options available, it could take hours to research insulation types and determine which will work best around your home. If you are addressing your entire house, hiring a contractor assures the right type of insulation will be used in each room or area.
- Check air sealing: Air leaks are not always a result of poor insulation installation or quality. Sometimes, your home requires air sealing. An energy efficiency audit will reveal leaks that threaten your comfort and utility budget. If there are areas of your home that are not air sealed, your insulation will fight a losing battle. Find these spots and address them first before you install insulation. Some customers order a full air sealing before we visit because they know the effort will soon pay for itself.
- Replace damaged insulation: If an electrical ordeal or natural disaster damaged an area in your home, it is likely your insulation is compromised. Even if you avoided issues by arranging for repairs in time, your electrician, plumber or other service provider may have ripped out insulation while completing the repair. This can create a new air leak, and cold drafts will await you this winter. It is a good idea to have an insulation contractor make repairs when your home undergoes any major work. Also, if you find your attic or basement insulation has mold or rodent damage, replace it immediately. Keeping compromised insulation affects energy efficiency and the health of your home.
Chase Insulation is a leader in home insulation in Ontario. To arrange for installation, call us today to schedule an estimate.