Is Your Home’s Insulation Up to Par? If Not, Improve It Before Winter

Heat can travel through walls, ceilings and attics that aren’t adequately insulated. This result is heat loss in the winter, making your home feel cold and uncomfortable. You might keep on turning up the thermostat in an attempt to get warmer, but this will only jack up your heating bill. According to Energy Star, you could save up to 20 percent on your heating and cooling costs by adding insulation and sealing air leaks. Before the frigid New York winter sets in, take steps to increase the insulation in your home.

You can either inspect the insulation yourself or request a whole-house energy assessment and then take steps to increase the insulation if it’s needed. To do the inspection yourself, you’ll need to:

• Check the attic and see if the floor joists are visible. If you can see them, you need more attic insulation.
• Remove an electrical outlet cover from a wall, and use a flashlight to help you see how thick the insulation in the wall is. You can use a plastic crochet hook to grab a small amount of the insulation to figure out what type it is. You should do this for all walls, especially if your home is older.
• Make sure any ducts running through an unconditioned area are sealed and insulated.
• Inspect the insulation in the ceiling and walls of your unfinished basement.
• If your home is new, ask the builder for more information about the insulation.

Next, put in more insulation if it’s needed. The types of insulation you’ll need depend on where you’re putting it. Keep an eye on the R-value when you’re choosing between insulation types. As the R-value rises, so does the insulation’s ability to block heat flow.

For more expert advice on insulation or other home-comfort issues, contact CR Wolfe Heating & Air Conditioning. We serve Middletown-area homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about home insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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