Improve Your Home’s Comfort All Year With Upgraded Insulation

Maintaining the comfort of your home in Lake Placid, Florida, is one of the top concerns for your family. One way to make sure your home feels comfortable throughout the year is by ensuring that your insulation is properly performing its job. By doing so, you’ll also save on energy costs.

The Importance of Insulation

Insulation is meant to fill the areas where heat and air can escape, such as in your home’s stud cavities, walls, attic and crawl spaces. On average, the quality of your insulation can be responsible for up to 11 percent of your home’s energy costs. Unfortunately, up to 90 percent of homes lack the proper insulation to maximize energy efficiency. Inadequate insulation can result in increased energy bills and cold spots in your home.

Signs That It’s Time to Upgrade Your Insulation

A visual inspection can indicate that your insulation is damaged or lacking. You might notice other signs that it’s time to investigate further. Some issues you want to watch out for include:

• Cold or drafty spots in the home
• Higher-than-normal energy bills
• The presence of pests
• Water damage on walls or the ceiling

Types of Insulation

Once you decide that you need an insulation upgrade, it’s important to choose the type that’ll work best for your home. The most common types include:

Blanket Batts or Rolls

Homeowners often choose blanket batts or rolls for unfinished walls, floors and ceilings. This type of insulation is usually constructed from fiberglass; although, you may find some made of cotton, mineral wool or even plastic fibers. It’s cheaper, readily availability and easy to install. Its drawbacks are that it’s not water-resistant and it can easily become damaged or break down over time.

Spray Foam Insulation

Installing spray foam insulation is becoming popular in existing unfinished areas that need additional insulation. It’s also great in areas that are oddly shaped or harder to reach. The spray foam is created using a liquid polyurethane that sprays in the wall cavity, where it expands and then hardens to form a solid barrier. Homeowners often choose it because of its high quality, long life, and ability to be water-resistant. The drawbacks of spray foam are that it can be difficult to install and more expensive than other options.

Blown-In Insulation

Blown-in insulation is most often chosen by those who are adding to an already insulated area and when the area is too hard to reach to lay down batts. To install, you’ll need to use a machine that’ll blow in a paper-like material that’ll fill in the space. The insulation consists of either fiberglass, rock wool or reclaimed cellulose material, such as recycled cardboard and newspaper. This is a popular choice because of its low cost, but it requires equipment to install and can be extremely prone to water damage.

Foam Board or Rigid Foam Panels

Foam boards or rigid foam panels are popular when insulating unfinished walls, floors and ceilings. They work by reducing the amount of heat that is conducted through wall studs, wood and other components that make up a home structure. The insulation consists of polyurethane, polystyrene, or polyisocyanurate, and a professional can install it easily. This is also a popular choice because of its low cost. But it has drawbacks that include being unable to fit in difficult spaces and still being prone to water and pest issues.

Reflective or Radiant Barrier

This form of insulation is popular for attics, floors and walls, particularly in homes in hot climates. This type of insulation works differently from other types because it reflects heat flow away from the home instead of reducing the heat transfer. The insulation contains a reflective barrier similar to aluminum foil that sits on a substrate. This type of insulation is very effective in warmer climates but can be costly to install.

Are you looking for ways to keep your home comfortable all year? Contact Miller’s Central Air, Inc. at 863-699-5455 today to find the best insulation for your home.

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