Does Your Cincinnati Home Have Adequate Insulation in All the Right Places?
The adequacy of insulation is a key factor in your Cincinnati home’s comfort and energy efficiency. If your house was constructed with energy savings in mind, it should have insulation that meets the Department of Energy’s R-value recommendations for our region in the exterior walls, attic and basement or flooring.
Unfortunately, older homes and many newer homes don’t meet these home insulation standards. Upgrading insulation can be a good investment, but you need to choose the projects that will give you the most bang for your buck.
Unless you’re already removing the siding from exterior walls for other reasons, adding insulation to them might not make economic sense. Upgrading insulation in the following areas, though, can be reasonably inexpensive and result in excellent returns on your investments:
- Attic insulation. Upgrading attic insulation to achieve the recommended R-49 insulating value for our area can be an excellent investment. A well-insulated attic will keep your home warmer on cold days and cooler on hot days.
- Basement or crawl space. If the basement or crawl space is unvented, adding insulation to the interior walls can increase your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. If the area below the ground floor is vented, adding insulation beneath the flooring is the best option.
- Insulating ductwork. Any central heating and air conditioning ducts that run through unconditioned parts of your house such as the attic, garage or vented crawl space should be insulated to prevent energy losses from conditioned air. All ducts should be well sealed to prevent air leaks.
- Electrical outlets and switches. Even though adding insulation to entire exterior walls might not pay off, you can insulate the spaces behind electrical outlet and switch covers to block drafts and save energy.
Before you spend any money on home insulation upgrades, be sure to seal air leaks around doors and windows by caulking around frames and replacing weatherstripping. Home insulation isn’t very effective if air can flow directly in and out of your house.
For professional help with home insulation, contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing today. We’re proud to serve homeowners in and around the greater Cincinnati area.
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