Your Guide to Evaluating Your Home Insulation in Petaluma, CA
Insulation is a great way to keep your home at the perfect cool temperature all summer long. Properly installed insulation will keep the air inside of the home instead of cooling the outside. But many homes throughout the U.S. are under-insulated, which can take a big hit on your monthly electric bill. You may be wondering where you went wrong.
One of the best ways to cut down on energy costs is to check your insulation. An insulation evaluation will help you determine which areas of your home are causing the energy loss.
Keep reading for the best ways to tell if insulation is making your home less energy efficient:
Know what you’re working with
You’ll find multiple types of insulation throughout your home. The insulation in an attic is usually blown in. This is a top choice for attic insulation because it’s cost effective, energy efficient and easy to install. For everywhere else in the house, the best and most common options are fiberglass and spray foam insulation. Contractors prefer these two options because they’re affordable, energy saving and can actually help reduce noise.
Before you take a trip to your local home improvement store, you’ll want to examine the various rooms throughout your home to see what type of insulation is already there. For example, spray foam insulation might not require the same amount as blown in. You may want to consult a professional to ensure that it’s done correctly.
Check attic insulation
In most attics, the insulation is usually visible so it’s easy to get a closer look. Check the depth of the insulation to determine whether you need to add more so the energy stays in your home.
A good rule of thumb is that you probably don’t have enough insulation if you can see the ceiling joists. Most homes need a minimum of 12 inches of blown in insulation in the attic. You may want to consider bumping that amount to about 15-20 inches if you’re hoping to increase energy efficiency with home insulation in Petaluma, CA.
Examine the wall insulation
You may be wondering how exactly you’ll be able to check the insulation inside your wall. Luckily, it’s actually more simple than you may think—use an electrical outlet. Shut off the power on the specific outlet and then remove the cover. You should then be able to see the insulation and measure its thickness. You may even want to pull a piece out of the wall for a closer look. The wall should be filled to capacity with fiberglass or spray foam insulation to ensure that energy is not escaping your home.
Bring in the professionals
Still can’t find the problem? Then it may be best to leave this job to the professionals. At Ace Insulation, our highly trained staff will take the time to figure out exactly where extra insulation could help cut down on your heating and cooling costs.
Categorised in: Home Insulation