How to Properly Insulate Your Home

Posted: February 17, 2015

home insulation

Posted: February 17, 2015
Posted by: Gerald Kuller, Home Comfort Manager

For optimal energy efficiency, your home should be properly insulated from the roof down to its foundation. Here are useful tips from our home comfort experts to help make sure your home is adequately insulated. Our home comfort experts can help you determine whether your home could benefit from additional or remediated insulation.

Garages

When insulating floors above unheated or uncooled garages, first seal all possible sources of air leakage. This strategy has the added benefit of minimizing the danger of contaminants (from car exhaust, paint, solvents, gardening supplies, etc.) in the garage migrating into the conditioned space.

Foundations

In addition to reducing heating costs, a properly insulated foundation will keep below-grade rooms more comfortable and prevent moisture problems, insect infestation, and radon infiltration.

Attics

Loose-fill or batt insulation is typically installed in an attic. Loose-fill insulation is usually less expensive to install than batt insulation, and provides better coverage when installed properly. We can help you to determine the proper level of insulation for your attic space.

Ducts

If the ducts in your home are in unheated or non-air conditioned space, be sure that they are well sealed and insulated. Check them at least once a year.

Cathedral Ceilings

Properly insulating your cathedral ceilings will allow ceiling temperatures to remain closer to room temperatures, providing an even distribution throughout your house.

Cathedral ceilings must provide space between the roof deck and home’s ceiling for adequate insulation and ventilation. This can be achieved through the use of truss joists, scissor truss framing, or sufficiently large rafters.

Basements

It’s never a bad idea to insulate all of part of your basement. A properly insulated basement can save you money on heating and provide dry, comfortable extra living space. We recommend installing insulation in the basement ceiling, sealing off any foundation leaks, insulating rim joists and sill plates which are major sources of heat loss in many homes. In addition, seal around electrical outlets and any exterior venting to eliminate drafts and cold spots. If you are considering finishing your basement to create extra livable space, be sure to insulate the walls and the floor for extra comfort.

As a locally operated company, we always put our customers and community first, and that means passing along to you whatever information we think can be helpful.

We hope the above suggestions are useful in maintaining a high level of comfort in your home. Contact Wilson if you have any questions about increasing your home’s comfort and saving energy.