The cost of home heating oil is well past four dollars a gallon in the north part of North America, and winter is approaching rapidly. The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) of Canada offers homeowners some helpful tips on insulating their houses and lowering fuel bills this winter.
Installation of adequate thermal insulation in a home promotes energy efficiency and offers a positive effect on the environment. Lower fuel consumption saves money and lowers the generation of greenhouse gasses. Many materials now used in home insulation can be recycled or were made of recycled materials in the first place.
Home Insulation Hints
Homeowners need to view their houses systematically and identify all portions of the structure that contribute to heat loss. Inadequate levels of insulation can account for half the heat a home loses to the outside environment. Here are some areas to focus on.
Attics and Ceilings
Heat rises through a house mainly by convection and the attic is the point of greatest potential heat loss in a home. It is surprising to note how many houses still have little or inadequate levels of insulation in their attics and ceilings.
Most new construction will start with a minimum of R-38 insulation in unfinished attics. Homeowners should consider adding enough insulation to at least reach this level. Fiberglass, mineral wool, and blown-in insulation can be used in unfinished attics. Finished ceilings and attics will require blown-in installation of fiberglass or rock wool insulation.
Walls
Walls between unheated garages and crawl spaces are often left uninsulated. Installing insulation in these locations will save heating fuel. A 2"x4" stud wall can accommodate up to R14 insulation and a 2"x6" wall can handle up to R22. It is important to use insulation sized to fit the size of the studs. Compressing an R22 fiberglass batt into a 2"x4" wall space will reduce the effectiveness of the insulation. Homeowners renovating their wall insulation should look at upgrading the home's vapor barrier as well. The cost is nominal if a wall has been opened up to install insulation.
Floors
Floors over unheated crawl spaces or unheated basements should be insulated to a level of R20 or higher.
Basements
Uninsulated basement walls and foundations can account for twenty-five percent of a home's heat loss. If a basement or crawlspace is unheated, insulate the floor joists above it. If a basement is heated, insure the walls are insulated to at least a R22 level. Insulation can be easily installed during new construction of a basement. Existing basement walls can be furred out with 2"x4" framing and insulation installed under a layer of finished drywall.
Using adequate insulation with an eye on energy efficient windows, weather stripping, maintaining intact interior vapor barriers and proper ventilation will dramatically improve the energy performance of a home. NAIMA offers more information on this subject to homeowners on their website.
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