The cost of heating and cooling a home takes an estimated 50 to 70 percent of the total energy consumed, and the cost of energy is always going up. Thankfully, there are many ways to increase the efficiency of a home including replacement windows, new siding, and a better roofing materials. However, the most effective means of reducing energy consumption is complete Insulation Installations or the replacement of old collapsed insulation. For instance, placing new batts in the walls can dramatically improve the R-value and lower the chance of thermal transfer. Another possible wall insulation is structural insulated panels.
One of the more effective methods of residential insulation is blown-in filler for the attic. This is usually an additional filler that is installed over the batts, which should already be in place. Blown-in insulation is typically a fiberglass product, but cellulose materials are also available. It can be difficult for the homeowner to install this stuff, but professional installers have a tool that breaks up the blocks of insulation and slowly blow it into place. This setup allows the insulation to fill up many voids that used to be difficult to access such as the tight angles between the roof edge and ceiling. Blown-in insulation can also be placed inside existing walls provided an access point is available. Adding filler like this can improve the thermal barrier, but it may not fill all the gaps because of the low air pressure pushing the material.
Another method that provides excellent Insulation Installations has sprayed foam products. This is a dense foam made from polyurethane or similar materials that block the flow of air and is very resistant to thermal transfer. There are various areas that spray foam can be used such as attics, around windows and other areas that may have seepage. Keep in mind that the attic area must have some air movement or it can accumulate too much heat near the decking. This can affect certain roofing materials such as asphalt shingles. An attic must have some type of vent installed, but they are not always as effective as they should be. One possible option for attic venting is a crown vent. This is an elevated roof crown with venting beneath it.
