Home Insulation

Home insulation or thermal insulation as it is sometimes known, helps to keep your house cool in Summer and warm in Winter. It does this by keeping out unwanted heat or cold from entering your home. Insulation can be made from natural materials like earth, soil or wool but more commonly, modern man made materials like fiberglass or polystyrene are used. Insulation is rated by the R Value, which is a measure of thermal resistance. R Values may decrease over time depending on the type of insulation that you have in your house. Insulators often recommend changing your insulation every 10 to 20 years to obtain maximum energy efficiency and to lower your energy bills.

If you think that you may need to insulate your home it is worth comnsid3ering a home energy audit. This is where a professional, using heat and infra-red equipment and conducting blower tests, determines the energy efficiency of your home. They will also suggest the best ways to improve energy efficiency in your home and to get lower energy bills. Typically you can locate this type of service from your electricity company or through State and/or Federal bodies like the Department of Energy.