Homeowners often think about improving their residential insulation to retain heat in the winter. However, it also keeps you cool during the summer, helping keep your air conditioning from escaping.
When you’ve been outside on one of those hot, sticky days during a New Jersey summer, that cool, conditioned air in your home is all the more appealing. Make the most of what your air conditioner is capable of, and properly insulate your home to increase your comfort and decrease your utility bill.
Increased insulation in attics, crawl spaces, and walls is a common need for many homes. Insulation standards were less stringent lower decades ago, and older homes often lack proper insulation. Insulating capacity is expressed with an “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the greater the resistance to the flow of heat. If you have high energy bills, a home energy audit may identify a need for better insulation.
5 Reasons to Insulate For Summer
The U.S. Department of Energy details reasons for adding insulation to an existing home. Here are five important reasons to better insulate your home as summer approaches.
1. Insulation for Comfort
It’s simple. You want the best barrier possible between the hot, humid air outside and the cooler, conditioned air inside. Keeping the humidity outside is another key to indoor comfort. The right insulation addresses both. Of course, your investment will pay off year-round. In the winter, a good insulation barrier will keep the heat in and the cold out.
There’s another downside to leakage around windows, outlets, and vents. Outdoor air often migrates indoors in the form of drafts. With proper insulation, you’ll put an end to suffering through those drafts all winter long.
2. Insulation for Energy Savings
Proper home insulation improves energy efficiency. A big reason to add insulation is to use less energy to heat and cool your home. This is a major consideration in areas where utility rates tend to run higher, like in the Tri-State area.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says Tri-State residents pay higher rates for electricity. In fact, they pay 32.4% more than the national average. They also pay 17.5% more than the national average for natural gas. In this area, homeowners get a greater return when they upgrade their insulation.
New Jersey’s electricity prices already rank seventh in the nation. Over time, energy costs tend to increase. Insulate now and watch your energy savings multiply over time.
The EPA estimates an average energy savings of 15% when adding insulation to attics, crawl spaces, and walls. Savings are often much greater in older or poorly insulated homes. Compare your residence to the EPA’s “average U.S. home” used in the calculations.
Utility customers who invest in better insulation reduce their carbon footprint. By using less energy, they reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Insulation to Deter Pests and Rodents
Insulation manufacturers add fire retardants like boric acid and other boron-based additives. These substances also resist pests and rodents.
Some older homes have insulation that lacks such protection. Sometimes, damage caused by mice, squirrels, and raccoons reduces R-values. Replacing old, ineffective insulation with a modern product improves R-values.
During an insulation installation, technicians can also secure the spots rodents are exploiting to gain access to your attic.
4. Insulation to Reduce HVAC Wear and Tear
The weaker the insulating barrier is between the warm outdoor air and your living space, the greater the strain on your AC.
The more that hot, humid air invades your home, the harder your air conditioner has to work. Ideally, an air conditioner should cycle on and off every ten minutes or more. Ineffective insulation may significantly reduce cycling times. So-called “short cycling” often leads to premature wear. The life of the compressor motor, fan motor, or controls is at risk. Costly repairs or early replacement may follow.
Proper insulation reduces the strain on your air conditioning system. This is particularly important as outdoor temperatures soar during those sultry summer days.
5. Return on Investment (ROI) of Insulation
Few home improvements deliver the return on investment that new insulation does. The more inefficient your aging insulation is, the greater the energy savings. In fact, many homeowners will save the equivalent of their investment in five years or less. Some will see a 100% ROI in just two or three years.
Of course, the savings continue long after you’ve recouped your investment. For many homeowners, savings will amount to thousands of dollars over the next 10–20 years or more. If you decide to sell, a well-insulated home with lower utility bills may sell for more.
Wrapping Up
Insulating to current codes often makes good financial sense. It’s even more sensible when your existing insulation shows signs of water or pest damage. Discolored or dilapidated insulation may be releasing unhealthy particles into the air.
Owens Corning insulation has products for every residential application. Owens Corning Pink Next Gen Fiberglas feels like cotton, and it resists shedding. It cuts easier, improving the quality of the installation. Advanced fiber technology reduces excess fluffing and compression, making it a great choice.
AttiCat® blown-in insulation is another quality product from Owens Corning. When installed with a blowing machine, the equipment breaks it up and fluffs it, adding millions of tiny air pockets in the process to better insulate your home in areas where regular batting insulation cannot be used.
With all types of insulation, skilled professional installation from CRS ensures your job will be done right, the first time.
Contact Us Today
CRS is a roofing, window, insulation, and siding contractor serving thousands of northern NJ homeowners since 1977. You may have seen our vehicles around your town. Much of our business comes via referrals from satisfied repeat clients.
We have the knowledge and expertise to match the right roofing and siding products with your home’s architectural style. Thanks to factory certifications from Owens Corning and GAF, we offer some of the best warranties in the business. We also carry insurance well above the minimum requirement, to better serve and protect our customers.
We’d welcome the opportunity to learn more about your needs. Please contact us today for prompt, professional, and friendly help.
