Most homes, even newer ones, simply don’t have enough insulation. The minimum insulation levels required by building codes don’t come close to protecting your living space from temperature extremes. An estimated 35 percent of heat loss is through the walls. The better insulated your home is the less heat you will be losing, meaning you do not need to run your heating as much (saving you money!).
Insulating your walls will help reduce your energy consumption and lower your fuel bills. Insulation can also help alleviate damp, making it a healthier home to live in.
There’s no getting around it: If your house is in a cold climate, keeping it warm in winter is expensive. The Department of Energy predicts that prices for natural gas and heating oil will rise again this winter compared with last—and that’s after a year in which heating-oil prices rose sharply in most parts of the country.
Sure, you can dial down the thermostat and get used to wearing bulky sweaters indoors to cut costs. But if you’ve got an unfinished attic, giving it proper insulation is one of the simplest ways to keep a lid on your heating bill this season.
What’s the point of insulating every nook and cranny around the house just to let air seep in and out of the garage, especially since these spaces are known for fluctuating temperatures: they’re steamy in the summer and freezing in the winter?
Engineering studies have shown that replacing a non-insulated garage door with an insulated one can reduce heat loss through the garage by more than 70%. Even if your garage is unheated that could mean a garage that’s warmer by as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners should insulate crawl spaces and unheated garages. Although they aren’t living spaces in your home, they are important when it comes to helping you save on your energy bills.
Crawl space insulation (and sealing) can help maintain your entire home’s energy efficiency. Without insulation, heat and cool air are easily lost—in fact, crawl spaces that aren’t insulated can be huge sources of energy loss.