With insulation, consistency is key!

Is your insulation working? If you haven’t yet had a home energy audit, it may be hard for you to tell. Many of today’s homes have insulation that was either improperly installed, or has settled over time, rendering it far less effective than it could be.

Air Barrier is Critical!

One of the major problems with insulation in today’s homes is a lack of an air barrier. When air is permitted to flow freely through an insulation material, the effectiveness of that insulation material is drastically reduced. For insulation to perform to its rated R-value, there must be an air barrier on either side of the insulation that stops the movement of air; or the insulation material itself must stop the movement of air.

Consistency is Key!

There may be some points along your attic flat where your insulation’s R-value is very high, where the insulation has been applied correctly. But there may be other spots where there are air leaks, or where there isn’t as much insulation as elsewhere. These locations drastically reduce the R-value of the attic flat itself, so although you may have R-20 insulation at some points along your wall, the wall as a whole may have a significantly lower R-value.

Have an Energy Audit!

The best way to determine whether your home has consistent, evenly applied insulation, or whether air leaks may be detrimentally affecting the R-value of your home is to have a home energy audit. During an energy audit, an infrared scan with an infrared thermal imager will determine where these leaks are occuring, and where insulation may be lumpy or unevenly applied.

For more information about how insulation levels can affect the comfort, and cost, of your home, or to schedule an energy audit today, contact us here!