The fall months bring all sorts of fun, festive holidays, colorful foliage, the first cozy snowfall etc, but only one feature is not that fun. Increased energy bills as the temperatures cool down and the thermostat gets cracked up. By many estimates, the cooling and heating systems in your house account for anywhere between half and two-thirds of your energy bills. If you are looking to make budget cuts for monthly expenses, the energy bill is a great place to start because there are so many ways to save energy, especially by improving home insulation.
What is Home Insulation? And How Does Insulation Work?
Any insulation aims to accomplish the same goal which is to: reduce the transfer of heat into or out of your house. There are many different types of insulation materials (polystyrene, mineral wool, fiberglass, etc.) and the methods of applying it ( loose-fill, trolls of batting, spray-in foam, and more) and the right sort of insulation depends on your home and needs.
Insulation works by trapping tiny pockets of air to slow down the movement of heat out of the home in the winter and into the home in the summer. It is measured by a number called “R-Value”, how well it does, and the higher the number the better the insulation is at resisting heat transfer. With Eco Spray, home insulation can be both eco-efficient and cost-efficient. These two factors are crucial and a must-need for many homeowners in Toronto. So lower your utility bills with home insulation, by calling Eco Spray Insulation today!
Mapping Energy Loss in Homes
It is important to understand the heating and cooling mechanism inside the home and how energy losses occur daily before digging into which areas in your home require insulation. You will spot many areas which allow air to seep in and indoor air to escape by conducting a simple thorough walk-through of your home. This is how the heat from the outdoors is transferred to your home and then to your body. Three processes are involved, namely conduction, radiation and the last one convection. Heat is carried away by air, which absorbs and rises. Then the warmed air rises around you while cooler air moves in to take its place and takes in more of your body’s warmth.
Use Insulation to Reduce Your Utility Bills
Lowering your energy usage is good for the environment and of course, comes with the really nice side benefit of lowering your fixed costs. Since cooling and heating consume more than half your household energy expense, it is the first target for conservation.
So, if you really want to reduce your utility bills, check out what you can do with home insulation:
- Insulate Your Attic – Heat rises, which means that in the cold of winter a good part of the heat your HVAC system is generating, eventually rises to the highest point in your home. In case your attic is not well-insulated, much of that heat will escape through the roof. The loss forces your HVAC system to work harder to maintain your house’s temperature and you will feel that pinch in your wallet.
- Insulate The Top Floor Ceiling – Insulating the attic space will certainly help reduce your costs, however, your unheated Garrett will still remain cooler than the rest of the house and thus a magnet for the rising warmth. Consider dampening the power of this magnet by insulating the top floor ceiling, it will keep all that cozy warmth that your HVAC system is generating where it belongs, in the “living” zone.
- Insulate DuctWork in Unheated Spaces – HVAC ductwork in unheated attics, crawl spaces or basement are also susceptible to ambient heat loss to the surrounding air. Insulating the ductwork will reduce heat loss ( thus energy) and make the system more efficient, and work at less cost.
Upgrade your Insulation
Over the years building codes change, and they are changing ever faster due to the attention being paid to energy efficiency. This means that older homes tend to be less insulated than newer construction. Can be tricky retro-fitting insulation in older homes because of the need to avoid trapping moisture that may promote rot as well as trapping air that can cause “back-drafting”. If you have a drafty older home, consider calling Eco Spray Insulation to install proper insulation. Don’t forget to check out the area around your windows and doors, while you are working on insulating your home. Replacing old doors or windows with new ones and caulking spaces around the frames can also help insulate your home from leaking energy losses.
Homeowners should also ensure that their insulation upgrades are appropriate to the home’s overall design. It is important to give a lot of thought to the material and the possible hazards that come with each. For instance, in fiberglass insulation, improper handling could pose safety issues. Some insulation products such as foam, fibers, and beads also pose fire and health hazards. The area and building components before installing insulation should be complete, clean, dry, and structurally sound.
Hiring a reputable insulation company like Eco Spray takes this burden off your shoulders and ensures that your investment is worthwhile, beneficial, and safe. Nothing could be better than being enveloped in warmth in the cold days of winter. Insulating these places in your home enables you to save money and maximize efficiency gains from the top down all while ensuring comfort.
How to Compare Different Types of Insulation
A label on each type of insulation states the R-Value per inch, which is a measure of resistance to heat transfer. As we have mentioned above, the bigger the number, the more effective the insulation. You need a high R-Value per inch where space is tight such as within wall cavities. Under a floor or in an attic, you can boost the insulation value of a lower-rated material simply by using a thicker layer. As a rule, the more money you will save, the more insulation you add. There is a point beyond which you can spend more on materials than you will recoup in lower energy bills.
Eco Spray – Experts in Home Insulation and Spray Foam Insulation in Toronto
At Eco Spray, we provide spray foam insulation as an ideal type of insulation for your home. Spray foam is simultaneously eco-efficient and cost-efficient, something that many could benefit from. It is the definitive multi-functional product because it offers top R-Value and it seals firmly. These two factors add constructive approaches to home power effectiveness. Spray foam insulation is mostly used for new construction because it is a top quality product. And it works best compared to other insulation products. It can be installed in various areas of your house, in the basement, attic, inside external walls, etc.
Our company can help you to lower your utility bills by properly installing the insulation, sustaining proper mechanism work, and bringing excellent products. Experts at Eco Spray will guarantee an “insulation blanket” with the ultimate presentation and capabilities. So, if you are looking to lower your utility bills with home insulation in Toronto, you are not alone as many homeowners are always looking for ways to save money effectively.
Contact Eco Spray, at +1 (416) 860-6664 for a free estimate, where one of the insulation professionals will come in to assess your home and get it sorted for you. And for additional information about our services or products, contact us at [email protected]
