Why Insulate Your House?

Heating and cooling account for 50 to 70% of the energy used in the average American home. Inadequate insulation and air leakage are leading causes of energy waste in most homes. Insulation:

Saves money and our nation's limited energy resources
Makes your house more comfortable by helping to maintain a uniform temperature  throughout the house
Makes walls, ceilings, and floors warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

The amount of energy you conserve will depend on several factors: your local climate; the size, shape, and construction of your house; the living habits of your family; the type and efficiency of the heating and cooling systems; and the fuel you use. Once the energy savings have paid for the installation cost, energy conserved is money saved - and saving energy will be even more important as utility rates go up.

This fact sheet will help you to understand how insulation works, what different types of insulation are available, and how much insulation makes sense for your climate. There are many other things you can do to conserve energy in your home as well.

Heat flows naturally from a warmer to a cooler space. In winter, the heat moves directly from all heated living spaces to the outdoors and to adjacent unheated attics, garages, and basements - wherever there is a difference in temperature. During the summer, heat moves from outdoors to the house interior. To maintain comfort, the heat lost in winter must be replaced by your heating system and the heat gained in summer must be removed by your air conditioner. Insulating ceilings, walls, and floors decreases the heating or cooling needed by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.

The ability of insulation to limit air movement should not be confused with "air sealing". The insulation reduces air movement only within the space it occupies. It will not reduce air movement through other cracks between building parts. For example, controllong air within a wall cavity will not stop air that leakes between the foundation and the sill plate or between the wall joists and a window frame

Blower Door Guided Air Sealing
Many air leaks and drafts are easy to find because they are easy to feel - like those around windows and doors. But holes hidden in attics, basements, and crawlspaces are usually bigger problems. Sealing these leaks with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping will have a great impact on improving your comfort and reducing utility bills.

Homeowners are often concerned about sealing their house too tightly; however, this is unlikely in most older homes. A certain amount of fresh air is needed for good indoor air quality and there are specifications that set the minimum amount of fresh air needed for a house.

Kilroy Technicians are skilled in evaluating current and needed air flow, systematically reducing excessive infiltration and carefully adhering to important indoor air quality standards.

Ventilation
Attic ventilation is an important part of roofing. Proper attic ventilation extends the life of a roof and reduces problems because it minimizes the temperature differential between the attic and the air outside. Proper ventilation will remove moisture and heat from the attic. Trapped heat and moisture can raise energy costs, cause ice dams, and damage roof system components as well as structural and personal items located inside the attic where temperatures can easily reach 150° F (65° C). Condensation that forms inside attics can be caused by the use of washing machines, dish washers, bath tubs, showers, and tumble driers unless these items are properly ventilated through the roof. In some cases the condensation can be bad enough to be mistaken for a roof leak.

Here are some problems associated with an improperly ventilated attic space. Sumps between rafters (deck deflection) can happen because after awhile (sometimes several years, sometimes only a couple years), a plywood roof deck can warp or deteriorate and become spongy and dangerous to walk on. This occurs because one side of plywood decking needs be able to "breathe" by being exposed to circulating air. The adhesives used in the plywood can deteriorate or Dry Rot can occur because of condensation.

Water vapor will condense first on anything metal inside the attic; this will eventually cause the metal to rust. Heads can rust off nails, metal plumbing straps or straps holding HVAC ducting can rust in two causing the ducting to crash down on top of the ceiling joists or through a suspended ceiling. This problem is more common in humid climates.
In colder climates - generally where the average January temperature is 32° F (0° C) or colder - high inside humidity (40% or greater) combined with low outside temperatures can cause frost to form on the bottom of the roof deck.

Insulation can trap moisture which will reduce the R-value of the insulation and create a nice environment for the propagation of certain molds, spores, and fungi which will also cause problems.There is also the problem of mildew which is both damaging and can cause health problems.

The roof system itself will deteriorate prematurely.
Cooling units will need to be serviced or replaced prematurely because of excessive use.
Ice Dams - ice dams are the result of melting snow continually refreezing at the roof perimeter and then backing up under the shingles and causing leaks. Proper ventilation used in conjunction with heavy insulation and an air barrier can create a Cold Roof Assembly which will help eliminate ice dams.

Kilroy Home Insulation offers a variety of services.

Click below for more information regarding new replacement windows and doors

www.dovewindows.com

www.sprousewindows.com

www.vinylmax.com

www.weatherkingdoors.com

Helpful and Informative Links

How to get rid of Ice dams