Adding insulation can improve the overall comfort of your home, reduce noise, control humidity, and stop dust and insects from entering your McKinney, Texas, home. Many homes have air leaks and don’t have enough insulation. Let’s look at how more insulation can improve your comfort in hot or cold weather.
How Much Insulation Do You Need?
We label insulation by R-values, where the R stands for resistance to heat. A higher the R-value means greater insulating power. You will need a higher R-value if you live in the cold northeast than if you live in Texas. Texas homeowners need insulation for comfort and relief from the hot summers.
The age of your house also can dictate how much insulation you need. If your home is more than ten years old, you’ll probably need more insulation to stay comfortable.
Types of Insulation
It’s important to familiarize yourself with all the different types of insulation before choosing to install it. Fiberglass is a popular form of insulation and is resistant to heat and fire. Rock wool is a synthetic, vitreous fiber insulation. Slag wool is also synthetic and made from iron ore blast furnace slag. Homeowners can install some types of insulation themselves, but for other types it’s better to hire a professional certified installer.
Do You Need More Insulation?
A good way to decide on the effectiveness of your current insulation is to get an infrared thermometer and point it at walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and windows, and look for places where the measurement varies from the room temperature. This exercise is also helpful for balancing HVAC systems between multiple rooms. If you find variations in temperature, especially in the ceiling beneath the attic, it’s a good idea to add more insulation there.
Insulation is always good, whether it’s cold or hot. A well-sealed house with the right amount of insulation can make a real difference in your comfort level and energy costs. Call 888-414-4655 to have a Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating technician check your current insulation levels or install more.
