| Home Insulation & Energy Conservation. | | | | a window's R Rating. |
| Although home heating oil prices are presently | | | | Making sure that weather-strips around doors and |
| relatively low, this fact should not act as a | | | | windows are still flexible and not allowing cold air |
| disincentive to making your house as energy | | | | to enter the house. |
| efficient as possible by correctly insulating it. | | | | You can significantly reduce your heating bills by |
| Insulation provides two main benefits: it reduces | | | | insulating the water tank and pipes in the attic of |
| the flow of thermal energy (heat) keeping your | | | | your house. Attic insulation takes many forms. |
| house cooler in summer and warmer in winter. | | | | Loose-fill insulation systems include loose fibers or |
| Insulation has another major benefit, it reduces | | | | fiber pellets that are blown into building cavities or |
| sound transmission, both from nearby houses but | | | | attics using special pneumatic equipment. Another |
| also from noise created in your own house from | | | | form of loose fill includes fibers that are sprayed |
| home appliances such as your heating system, | | | | with adhesive to make them resistant to settling. |
| washing matching as well as TVs and radios | | | | The blown-in material can provide additional |
| Three main types of insulation are used in modern | | | | resistance to air infiltration if the insulation is |
| houses. | | | | sufficiently dense. |
| Fibrous insulation uses narrow fibers bonded | | | | Plastic foams provide rigid insulation which is |
| together and which trap air between them. | | | | pressed or extruded into board-like forms and |
| Examples of fibrous insulation include fiberglass | | | | molded pipe-coverings. These provide thermal and |
| blankets and boards. In the past asbestos wool | | | | acoustical insulation,strength with low weight, and |
| was often used as insulation but health concerns | | | | coverage with few heat loss paths. |
| now prevent its use in the home. | | | | Blankets, usually sold in rolls, are flexible products |
| Cellular insulation again uses small pockets of air | | | | made from mineral fibers. They are available in |
| but now they are trapped within tiny bubbles or | | | | widths suited to standard spacing of wall studs |
| foams. A prime example of cellular insulation is | | | | and attic or floor joists. Continuousrolls can be |
| polystyrene. | | | | hand-cut and trimmed to fit. |
| Fibrous and cellular insulation reduce heat loss by | | | | Polyurethane foam insulation can be applied by a |
| absorbing air, whereas radiant barriers and | | | | professional applicator using special equipment to |
| coatings are composed of a surface that reflects | | | | meter, mix, and spray into place. Polyurethane |
| radiant heat. Aluminum paint and metal foil are | | | | foam can also help to reduce airleaks. |
| examples of reflective coatings. | | | | Reflective aluminum foils are effective in reducing |
| One measure of the usefulness of home insulation | | | | downward heatflow. Reflective systems are |
| is given by the R Value. "R" stands for resistance | | | | typically located between roof rafters, floor joists, |
| to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more | | | | or wall studs. |
| heat it can resist. | | | | By maximizing the energy efficiency of your |
| Whilst all homes needs adequate ventilation, too | | | | house, you save on utility bills in the long term and |
| much air passing through your house can be a | | | | also make a small but positive contribution |
| major source of energy loss. The amount of heat | | | | towards reducing global warming. Correctly |
| loss by air infiltration can be reduced by: | | | | andadequately insulating your house is a vital step |
| Installing glass doors on fireplaces. | | | | in maximizing domestic energy efficiency. |
| Installing double or triple glazing which will increase | | | | |