Been thinking of ways to save money and live more comfortably this winter—and all year long? Installing insulation is one way to maximize energy savings and improve interior comfort levels. But how much can insulation save you? How effective is your insulation? Would it save you money to add more?
How Effective Is Insulating Your Home?
Talking to insulation professionals is the best course of action. If you live in Chicagoland, call the experienced team at ThermaSeal / Lakeside Insulation! However, there are some tools online that you can use to help you determine how much insulation can save.
You can visit CIMA (Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association) online to calculate insulation savings. It allows you to measure the financial impact of increasing your insulation’s performance by entering your data into the insulation calculator—the size of your house, your energy costs, etc. With the calculator, you can see what you would be saving both this year and in the future.
The Home Energy Saver™ (HES) website has another helpful savings tool. It calculates all your energy bills using your current rates and personal information, such as where you live, the year your home was built, whether you have a basement or not, etc. After filling in your data, you’ll get back your current yearly energy costs and how much you can potentially save with upgrades.
Trying to determine the effectiveness of your current insulation levels?
There are a few factors to consider, such as:
- Age of your home: Many homes built prior to the 1970s aren’t properly insulated, so if you have an older home, your insulation may not be as effective. Don’t wait—call a local insulation company!
- Air leaks: Do you need to seal your home? If you do, the performance of your insulation may be suffering. Air leaks undermine the effectiveness of insulation. Signs your home may have air leaks and insulation that isn’t performing adequately include drafts near windows and doors and uneven temperatures from room to room.
- Snow and ice on the roof: When it snows, take a quick peek at your roof. Is snow melting off too quickly (for comparison, look at your neighbors’ houses)? Are ice dams forming at the eaves? If so, you may not have enough attic insulation.
- HVAC system performance: Think back to summer. Was your air conditioner running more than normal? Is your heating system running more than usual now? If your home’s insulation levels aren’t sufficient, your HVAC equipment has to work harder to keep your home comfortable.
If you need to re-insulate your home, now is the time to do so—start the new year with an energy-efficient home! You can even visit the U.S. Department of Energy online to calculate the payback period adding insulation.
Chicago Area Insulation Installers
If you live in Chicagoland, ThermaSeal / Lakeside Insulation is the company to call if you need to insulate your home! We’ve installed insulation for homes and businesses throughout the Chicago area. Contact us for an initial consultation and estimate, or call us at 800-836-2535!
