So, you’ve got an existing home and want to improve insulation. Knowing where to start is often difficult because we’re talking about something that’s behind walls. Many people think it’s impossible to add insulation to existing wall structures, but that’s not the case.
Insulation is the key to keeping your home cool in summer and warm in winter. It can also save you plenty of money. Heating and cooling your home is hard on your electricity bill, but it doesn’t have to be. With improved insulation, you can keep drastically reducing the amount of work your heating and cooling units need to do.
Think it’s time to improve your home’s insulation? Well, here’s how!
-
Acoustic Insulation for Internal Walls
Unfortunately, not all modern homes are well insulated. This is often due to cost-cutting. Ceiling and external walls are usually well insulated, but it’s the internal walls that get forgotten.
Insulating internal walls has a two-fold effect. Firstly, it allows you to heat or cool the rooms you want more efficiently in terms of temperature control. For example, if you spend most of your time in the living room, you can close off the rest of the house. However, air can still escape through internal walls.
Furthermore, it can help you manage the peace in your home. Adding acoustic insulation to internal walls also works as a sound barrier. With internal wall insulation, you can keep household noise and air exactly where you want it!
-
Handy Tips for Improving Roof Insulation
Just because your home has ceiling insulation, that doesn’t mean it’s completely effective. Here’s a couple of tips for making sure you’re getting maximum efficiency from your roof insulation.
-
The Right Thickness
A batt’s thickness is important, so all insulation is assigned an ‘R’ Rating. This rating refers to the resistance to heat loss and is linked closely to the thickness. Going too thin won’t be effective. Look for insulation with an R rating of 2.5 – 6.0.
-
The Small Details Matter
Inside a roof cavity, you’ll find plenty of areas where air can escape. Think about the spaces around exhaust fans, chimneys, vents, and even cracks where walls meet. Finding ways to insulate these areas will improve the effectiveness of your entire roofing insulation.
-
Ventilation
While we’ve discussed the importance of not letting air escape, some ventilation is necessary. You want to stop air from entering your home through the ceiling, but similarly, you need to let it escape the roof cavity. Without doing this, you can cause moisture problems, which can have very costly effects.
-
Consider Blow-In Insulation
Insulating older homes can be difficult, particularly your external and internal walls. Nobody wants to go ripping down all their walls to add insulation because the cost in both time and money is extreme. However, with blow-in house insulation, you only need some small holes in the wall. You may need to hire some experts to do this job. However, it’s much cheaper than knocking down your walls. Afterward, patch the holes and touch up the paint. If you’re considering painting your walls anyway, it’s the perfect time to think about blow-in insulation.
