During summers and winters in Pennsylvania, the weather gets extreme. That’s when the efficiency of homes are most put to the test. Will your home’s performance get you through cold winter nights and keep your living spaces comfortable here in Harrisburg or York?
If your bedroom has been an icebox the last few years in the middle of winter, you’re probably looking to make some changes. But what if you don’t have a lot of money to spend? Don’t worry—there’s a way you can both improve your home comfort and save on energy costs. Let’s learn more about how to know when it’s time for upgraded home insulation and air sealing.
How Will Insulation and Air Sealing Improve Home Comfort?
The comfort in your home revolves around a few different factors. Let’s take a look at each of them, and then show how they can be affected by insulation and air sealing.
More Consistent Indoor Temperatures
When the temperatures drop during a freezing winter night, you don’t want the comfort levels inside your house to plummet as well. The harder your furnace or heating system has to work to keep the indoor temperatures reasonable, the more you’ll be paying the utility company every month.
Insulation and air sealing slow the transfer of heat and air flow between the living spaces in your home and the outdoor elements. The better your insulation and air sealing is, the less your heating system will have to work, and the more comfortable you’ll be.
Cleaner Indoor Air Quality
Outdoor air can be full of allergens and pollutants. It’s also possible that your basement and crawlspace have moisture build-ups and growing mold. The last thing you want is that unhealthy air to be circulating in your home.
But when you have lots of air leaks and cracks and gaps in your home, that’s exactly what’s happening. Not only is outdoor weather getting inside and driving your energy costs through the roof, but your indoor air quality is plummeting as well. Combined, insulation and air sealing will keep outdoor air outside, and keep you healthy and comfortable inside.
What Kinds of Insulation and Air Sealing Does My Home Need?
There are a number of different kinds of insulation and ways to air seal your home, and different methods and materials will work best in different areas of your home.
Spray Foam Insulation
Spray foam insulation is used for most jobs that require air sealing, like when you want to close up holes and gaps in your attic insulation and keep the top floor of your home at a reasonable temperature year-round.
Spray foam insulation is also a great water and vapor barrier, making it an excellent choice for basement insulation and crawlspace encapsulation.
Blown In Cellulose Insulation
Cellulose insulation is made from recycled newspaper that’s been treated with fire-retardant chemicals. It’s environmentally friendly and effective insulation, and can be used in a number of different ways.
In an attic, it’s a popular choice for attic floors, where it’s blown in as a thick blanket that separates your living space from your unconditioned spaces.
It’s also great for interior and exterior sidewall insulation. With retrofit projects, you only need to drill small, refillable holes in your walls where cellulose insulation can be blown in and densely packed, offering superior insulation performance without making a huge mess.
Schedule an Energy Audit with PA’s Leading Insulation Contractor
If you suspect your Lancaster or Lower Paxton home might benefit from upgraded insulation and air sealing, call Energy Smart today to schedule a home energy audit. Energy audits are a great first step for homeowners considering energy efficiency upgrades for their homes.
Using state-of-the-art tools like blower door tests and thermal infrared camera imaging, our home energy experts can pinpoint the weakest areas in your house’s insulation. We will then create a specific plan of attack for improvement work that will deliver real changes in your home comfort as well as lower energy bills.