Insulation Station: All You Ever Wanted to Know

In the winter we layer up to keep warm. We wear sweaters, coats, hats and scarves. We do this to keep our warm body heat inside and the cold air out, right? Well, in the winter, you can also keep your house warm with a “coat.” The good news is that this “coat” is helpful for your home in both the summer and the winter. This “coat” is called insulation.

The point of insulation is that it keeps the conditioned air inside your home and the outside temperatures outside. Conditioned air is air that has either been heated or cooled. Generally insulation is installed in the attic, the basement and on all outside walls. It can be used on inside walls as sound proofing material as well. Insulation is either made out of fiberglass or cellulose (shredded and treated newspaper) and is found in rolls or it is loose and can be blown in by a machine. You can add insulation to your home yourself, but in some cases it is better to have a professional do it because you have to be sure to watch out for light fixtures and possible fire hazards when installing insulation.

Your ducts can also be insulated. Generally ducts that are in an “unconditioned” space, such as an attic are insulated so that the conditioned air that travels through it is not lost before it reaches its destination.

Adding insulation, or even more insulation, is an easy way to increase the efficiency of your home. For more information, contact FLAME!