What Types of Home Insulation Can You Get This Winter?

If you're working on combating drafts and improving the efficiency of your HVAC system, you have likely come across several types of home insulation. How do you know which option for home insulation is right for your needs? Here are some of the benefits of different types of home insulation.

Fiberglass Insulation

If you are dealing with an area that is easy to reach and does not have nooks to fill in, fiberglass insulation may be the right choice for you. Fiberglass insulation tends to be less expensive than other options, and the installation process is simple enough for a homeowner to take on the job themselves. Fiberglass is the traditional insulation option that many homeowners think of when they are working on insulating their home against the cold.

Sprayed Foam

Areas that are hard to reach or have an irregular shape that makes other insulation materials more difficult to install efficiently and effectively can benefit from the use of sprayed foam. This type of foam insulation is applied via a spray that then expands to create a seal against air leaks. While sprayed foam tends to be a more expensive option when it comes to home insulation, it is also one of the most effective options.

Cellulose Insulation

Cellulose insulation is made from plant fibers and comes in several forms that are applied differently depending on which option you choose. Loose-fill cellulose is an option that is used in older homes, as it can be blown into existing walls to provide a protective layer against drafts. While other types of cellulose insulation are applied wet, loose-fill cellulose is dry when it is blown into the wall. No matter what form is used, cellulose insulation is a cost-effective option due to its lower cost when compared with spray foam.

To learn more about the different types of insulation and how they can work for your home, contact Air Assurance today. We serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas.

Does Your Home Have Enough Attic Insulation?

Attic Insulation Installation Tulsa

When it comes to improving your home's efficiency, don't forget about the attic. Experts calculate that leaks in the attic floor can drain away 30 to 50 percent of your heating or cooling.Heat rises upward and migrates through cracks into the unconditioned attic space, eventually escaping through the roof or vents. In the summer, a hot attic and uninsulated attic floor can make it more difficult for you to cool your home, as heat moves through conductivity into the living space.What's the solution? In most cases, more attic insulation will do the trick.

Adding Insulation

Start your attic sealing project by identifying the various areas where energy is being lost. Lay wooden planks across joists to walk on before you start moving around.

1. Check for gaps around fixtures, pipes, wires, ducts and anything else that enters the attic space from the living space. Roll back existing insulation batts to get at all the holes; if you have loose-fill insulation, it might be better to get a professional to locate the leaks. Fix all the smaller leaks you find with caulk. For holes up to an inch wide, use expanding urethane foam. For still larger holes, use a piece of drywall to plug it, sealing edges with foam. You can also use fiberglass insulation.

2. Seal gaps around stove flues and chimneys with a sheet metal collar and heat-resistant caulk, separating these structures from insulation.

3. Put extra insulation on top of the attic hatch door. Place weather stripping around the edges of the hatch.

4. Next, check to see if the insulation on your attic floor reaches the top of the joists. If not, add more to the top or over the joists. Make sure it is evenly distributed, and reaches the sides of the attic.

5. Insulate behind knee walls.

6. Build airtight boxes with rigid foam insulation to cover recessed lighting canisters. Get professional advice about how any insulation you are considering might overheat when used in proximity to the lighting canisters.

To learn more about attic insulation, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about attic insulation and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “travellight/Shutterstock”

Attic Insulation Services in Tulsa, OK

Insulation services - Attic insulation services in tulsa

Solid insulation in the right places in your home is critical to maximize indoor comfort and minimize monthly cooling and heating costs. Insulation is the material that resists the movement of heat inside the house. What’s more, it works both ways: holding heat in and keeping heat out, depending on the season. Learn more about the Inflation Reduction ACT energy tax credits available for home insulation and more HERE.

Heat in Motion

It’s a fundamental fact of physics that heat always moves from a warm zone into a cooler zone. Unfortunately, it’s usually moving the wrong direction for home comfort and efficiency. In winter, heat produced by your furnace tends to radiate out of the house into colder outdoor air, increasing heating costs. In summer, conversely, outdoor heat constantly infiltrates the cooler indoors, causing your air conditioner to run extended cycles to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.

Material Matters

Solid insulation is an all-season material that keeps summer heat outside and holds winter warmth inside. Because the cost of heating and cooling represents at least 50% of a home’s total energy expense, that’s a major benefit to your budget.

Here are some other facts about proper, solid insulation in your home:

• Solar energy radiates through the roof in summer, increasing indoor temperatures and AC usage. In winter, rising heat in rooms seeps through the ceiling, causing the furnace to run longer cycles. In most homes, ground zero for insulation in all seasons is the attic.

• Fiberglass batts are the least expensive and most common residential attic insulation. The recommended depth of rollout fiberglass batts in an attic in southern regions averages 12 inches up to 20 inches.

• Cellulose insulation is more efficient. Blown in under air pressure, it provides better heat resistance at a lesser amount, with the recommended depth starting at 8 inches and ranging up to 15 inches.

• Insulation should always be accompanied by air sealing to eliminate cracks and gaps in ceilings that allow heat loss or heat gain, depending on the season. This includes sealing air leaks around ceiling light fixtures and attic pull-down stairs.

Ask the professionals at Air Assurance for more about the benefits of solid insulation in your home.

Tulsa, OK - Where Does Your Home Need Insulation Most?

Tulsa OK - Insulation Services

Making sure your home is well insulated is one of the best things you can do to boost energy efficiency and lower your utility bills. If you're planning to replace or supplement your home's insulation, it's important to know how to evaluate insulation, and which parts of your home need it the most.Where to startSome areas in your home are a higher priority than others when it comes to insulation. If you can invest in adding insulation to only one area, it should be your attic. Heat rises, and it can easily flow right out of your house if your attic doesn't have enough insulation.Other areasOf course, insulation should never end with your attic. An energy-efficient house should be well insulated throughout. A few other important areas include:

• Exterior walls

• Cathedral ceilings

• Foundations

• Floors, especially over an unheated garage

• Ducts

• Basements and crawl spaces

Evaluating insulationBefore you add insulation to your home, you should get an idea of how much insulation you already have, and what types of insulation are being used in your house. There are a few ways to do this.

• Contact a home energy auditor to perform a whole-house energy assessment, including an insulation check.

• Inspect the insulation yourself in unfinished areas where it might be exposed. Good places to check include exposed floors and walls in your attic, basement and crawl space.

• Inspect exterior walls through electrical outlets. To do this, first turn off the power to an outlet, then remove the outer cover. Shine a flashlight in to see the insulation, and remove a small piece if necessary.

R-valuesYou can judge the efficiency of new and existing insulation by its R-value. Insulation's R-value is a simple way to judge its resistance to heat conduction, and thus its efficiency. R-values are listed on the packaging when you purchase insulation. Most homes should be insulated with an R-value of at least R-30.For more information on adding insulation to your home, contact Air Assurance Heating and Air Conditioning. We've been serving the Broken Arrow area for more than 30 years.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our current promotionsand get started today!     Insulation Maintenance image via Shutterstock

Proper Attic Insulation Can Save Money and Energy this Season

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Good attic insulation is one of the easiest ways to keep Broken Arrow's freezing winters from stealing your comfort. By reducing the load on your furnace, insulation also helps hold down your heating bills.

The Importance of Attic Insulation

The warm air from your furnace naturally rises toward your ceiling. Without sufficient air sealing and insulation in the attic, that warmth will flow into the attic and then through the roof. This not only wastes heat, it also contributes to moisture and mold issues in the attic and ice dams that could damage your roof. To keep your home warm and free from damage, your attic should have at least an R-38 layer of insulation, which requires around 12 inches of fiberglass batts. For even greater energy efficiency, add more insulation to achieve an R-60 layer.

Choosing the Right Insulation

Insulation is available in two forms and a number of different materials. Every type of insulation has pros and cons, so review your options before you decide how to improve your attic insulation. Your options include:

Batt insulation — These strips are cut to fit between floor and wall joints, making them easy for a non-professional to lay into place. Batts are produced in fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool, plastic fiber, cotton, and sheep's wool, among other materials. Fiberglass and cellulose are the most efficient of these, but mineral wool helps more with noise reduction.

Loose-fill (blown-in) insulation — Produced as small pieces of material designed to be installed using a blower machine, loose-fill insulation fills in small corners better than batts, so it insulates more efficiently. On the downside, you'll need to rent a blower machine or hire a professional for insulation.

Rigid foam — These stiff boards of polystyrene or other foam can be set into place without special equipment. While they're highly efficient and moisture resistant, the higher cost compared to batts or loose-fill makes them less popular for use in attics.

If you could use professional help to improve your attic insulation, contact us at Air Assurance in the Broken Arrow area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “irin k/Shutterstock”

Insulation: What's The Difference Between Cellulose And Fiberglass?

Choosing between cellulose and fiberglass insulation remains a hotly debated topic among homeowners, considering that these two are very common and affordable insulation options. Both materials have advantages and limitations, so let's take a look at the main differences to determine which type works best for your home and why. CompositionCellulose is made from shredded recycled paper mixed with chemicals to bind the fibers together and reduce the flammability of the material. Fiberglass, on the other hand, is made from recycled glass and sand.Fire Resistance When exposed to high temperatures, fiberglass will melt but will not catch fire. Cellulose, while made of paper, is treated with fire retardants to prevent combustion. However, these chemicals could leach out over time and decrease the material's ability to resist fire.SettlingFiberglass rolls and batts do not have settling issues. The loose-fill type, however, will settle slightly over time, although the settling is negligible. Cellulose material, on the other hand, can settle by as much as 20 percent, thus affecting the final thickness of the material and requiring an additional layer.Low Temperature PerformanceFiberglass loses heat more quickly than cellulose and often registers a lower R-value in cold weather.MoistureWater is used for installing cellulose insulation, so vapor retarders are added. It has to be completely dry before the wall cavity is closed up. Otherwise, the material will absorb moisture and become susceptible to rotting. Fiberglass does not have this issue.InstallationMost DIY projects involve fiberglass because it is easy to cut and install. It does, however, require careful, meticulous attention to install properly, which takes time. With cellulose, however, the process is quicker provided you have an insulation blower and you are not likely to do a sloppy job.So which type of insulation is right for you? Let our technicians at Air Assurance  help you decide. We have been providing top quality products and services to our clients in Broken Arrow for nearly 30 years. We can work with you to identify the best solutions for your needs.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Insulation And Ventilation: Rx For An Attic That Running A Fever

Tulsa Blown In Insulation

Hot attics can be a major source of excess heat throughout your home. As sunshine beats down on the roof, temperatures in unfinished and unconditioned attics can reach 150 degrees or higher. This heat is easily absorbed and transferred by building materials such as wood. The heat radiates downward, increasing temperatures in all areas beneath the attic. In most homes, this translates to practically everywhere within the structure. By maintaining proper levels of both insulation and ventilation in your attic, you can limit the effects of excess heat that accumulates in this part of your house.Heat transferred from your attic to your living spaces can make your home uncomfortable and cause your air conditioning system to work harder than necessary, increasing wear on the unit and causing spikes in your utility bills. Adequate attic insulation and ventilation will prevent this problem by reducing the amount of heat that accumulates in your attic.

• Insulation: Install plenty of insulation in the attic to keep out heat. Fiberglass roll or blanket insulation is commonly used between beams and joists in the attic wall, floor and roof. Irregularly shaped or difficult-to-reach areas can be insulated using loose-fill pellet insulation. Use insulation with the highest R-value possible. R-values are a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The Energy Star program recommends using insulation with R-values of R30 to R60 in the Tulsa area.

• Ventilation: Attic fans will increase ventilation and airflow, which moves both heat and moisture from the attic to the outdoors. Attic fans should be able to replace the entire volume of air in the attic 10 times an hour. Increased airflow will be very effective at keeping your attic and your home cooler. Contact your local trusted HVAC provider for assistance with finding an attic fan that will create sufficient ventilation for your space.

For more than three decades, Air Assurance has been a leading source of HVAC sales, installation and maintenance in and around Tulsa. Contact us today for more information on attic insulation and ventilation and how improving these factors can make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Here's How to Check Insulation Levels in Your Home

Attic insulation costs - tulsa ok

If you'd like to lower your energy bills and improve your home comfort, addressing sources of air leakage and areas with inadequate insulation can help. Checking two key areas where these problems often occur can help you decide if it's time to hire a professional to boost the insulation level and seal up air leaks.

Up in the Attic

For home attics in our region, the Department of Energy (DOE) advises insulating the floor to R-60, and correcting air leaks to reduce heat transfer with the living areas below. You can perform a couple of easy checks to assess these issues:

• When it's dark out, turn on the lights in the rooms below the attic. Go up there, close the hatch and take a thorough look around the floor to locate any leak sources where light bleeds through from below.

• To judge the insulation level, turn on your attic lights and look around again. If you see the tops of the floor joists in any spot, there's not enough insulation. If the joists are well-hidden, you likely have a sufficient amount installed.

You can fix areas of energy waste and increase the efficiency of your home by sealing the attic, installing a vapor barrier on the floor, and increasing insulation to the recommended level.

Your Exterior Walls

According to the DOE, your exterior wall cavities should have R-19 in insulation installed, and you should seal leaks in the exterior shell by weatherstripping and using caulk and expandable foam insulation. To assess these areas:

• Take off the electrical box covers on the exterior walls, then shut their breakers off. Using a flashlight, look inside each box for signs of insulation. If none is visible, your walls probably need insulation.

• At night, shut off all the interior lights in your home, then walk around shining a flashlight at the exterior walls. Get a helper to follow you outdoors to identify any spots where leaks let the light shine through from inside.

Contact us at Air Assurance for more advice about increasing the insulation level and sealing leaks in your Broken Arrow home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “john-kasawa/Shutterstock”

How to Ensure Your Home Has Solid Insulation

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Having a home that’s well insulated helps keep colder air out during winter and hotter air out during summer. This helps your Broken Arrow home feel more comfortable overall. Having enough insulation can also help prevent moisture damage and keep pests out of your home. How can you tell if your home has solid insulation? The following signs can indicate that your home could use more insulation.

Increasing Energy Bills

Have you noticed that your energy bills keep going up, especially when you heat your home in winter or run your air conditioning in summer? Energy bills that are higher than usual might mean that your home doesn’t have solid insulation. With enough insulation, your HVAC system doesn’t have to use as much energy to cool or heat your home. Insulation helps prevent air leaks from occurring, leading to a warmer home in winter and a cooler home in summer without constantly running your HVAC system.

Cold or Hot Rooms

When a certain room or area of your home always seems colder in winter and hotter in summer, you might need to add insulation. You might notice this more in rooms that are under a poorly insulated attic or over your garage. Adding insulation helps prevent hot attic air from heating up these areas in summer or cold outdoor air from cooling them down too much in winter.

Damp or Cold Walls, Ceilings, and Floors

When walls, ceilings, or floors in your home feel cold to the touch during winter, this can indicate that you need more insulation. These surfaces might also feel damp when you touch them, since more moisture can get into your home when it doesn’t have enough insulation.

Attic Leaks

Water leaks in your attic might mean that you have an insulation problem. Adding insulation to this part of your home should help keep water and moisture out of your attic.

If you need solid insulation in your Broken Arrow home, please contact Air Assurance. Our team can help you determine if your home has solid insulation and add more if it's needed.

What Is the Best Window Draft Blocker as the Weather Cools Off?

Think back to last winter in your Broken Arrow home. Can you remember areas in your home that had uncomfortably cool drafts? Do any of your windows whistle, howl, or rattle on windy days? Those noisy and drafty windows are telling you something. Those windows are making your home less comfortable and increasing your energy costs.

Losing heating dollars and putting up with drafty spots in your home is probably unacceptable now that you know the source of those problems. Keep reading and you'll find out how a window draft blocker can be your solution to these comfort and efficiency problems just in time for cooler weather.

Understanding Window Draft Blockers

Window draft blockers (also called window draft stoppers) are literally many different devices, features, coverings, and treatments for windows that do exactly what their name implies. They block drafts. If you have drafty windows, discovering draft blockers is a big deal! Consider which draft blockers will work well in your home.

Window Draft Blockers for Your Home

Window draft blockers are available as draperies, solar shades and blinds, caulking, and many more materials and devices. What follows are some popular choices:

• Door sweeps and snakes. Door sweeps use some type of material, such as foam, on both sides of the door. Door snakes are used on one side of the door.

• Removable caulk. Removable caulk is a great solution to stopping air leaks around windows.

• Permanent caulk. Permanent caulk is used to seal cracks at the juncture of window frames and exterior walls. Use a water-resistant caulk that can take paint.

• Thermal drapes. Thermal drapes use multiple layers and thickness to block drafts and also to block light.

• Weatherstripping. V-strips work great for sealing long gaps in window sills and between doors and door jams. Do you have an attic hatch or door? Stop drafts and air leaks using foam tape.

Could a plan to install a window draft blocker at each drafty window and door make a difference for the better in your Broken Arrow area home? Contact the HVAC and indoor-air quality pros at Air Assurance to find out.

How to Tell If Your HVAC Insulation Is Working Properly

Attic insulation isn't the only kind of insulation you need. In order to maintain home efficiency, you need HVAC insulation as well. Specifically, insulation for your ductwork. Without proper insulation, hot air will gradually cool down and cold air will heat up as they make the journey through your ducts, losing a significant amount of energy by the time they reach your rooms. How can you tell if your HVAC insulation is working properly? Here are a few things to look for.

The Importance of HVAC Insulation

A significant portion of your ductwork goes through your attic. Your attic retains a lot of heat in summer and gets very cold in the winter. Your ducts need to be insulated against those temperature fluctuations. Without proper insulation, cold air from your AC will absorb the heat as it flows through the ducts in your attic. Likewise in winter, warm furnace air will grow colder.

This is the first major sign that your HVAC insulation isn't working the way it should: If the air flowing into your home isn't as hot or as cold as it should be, this means you're losing energy, and in turn, your system needs to run longer in order to heat or cool your home properly, which drives up your bill.

HVAC Insulation Damage

Another way to tell if your ductwork insulation is adequate is to check it for damage, such as tears in the duct wrapping. In some cases, damaged insulation can also cause blockage in your ductwork, which restricts the airflow. In other cases, damage might include moisture around the ducts or even mold growth.

If the damage is minor, the insulation can probably be fixed using metal or foil tape. If it's more extensive, you may need to have your ducts rewrapped with new insulation. If you have mold, you'll need a ductwork cleaning in addition to any repairs. Whatever the damage, talk to your HVAC technician to see what needs to be done.

For more help maintaining proper HVAC insulation in your home, contact us at Air Assurance. We strive for excellence in meeting Broken Arrow's home-comfort needs.

Does Your Home's Foundation Affect Its Insulation?

The foundation isn't one of the considerations that come to most homeowners' minds when thinking of the steps to take to insulate their houses against outside cold temperatures. But did you know that your home's foundation plays a significant role in the maintenance of ideal indoor temperatures? Here's a look at how a damaged foundation can affect HVAC efficiency and your ability to keep your house comfortably warm.

Improper Air Sealing

Does your foundation have many cracks that are bigger than a quarter-inch wide? Such cracks can create air leaks and temperature changes. As a result, your home may feel less comfortable. Your heating bills will also increase gradually.

Sloping Floors

A cracking or crumbling foundation can result in sloping floors. A sloping floor allows gaps to form between the floor and door jambs. This allows heated air from your home to seep through. It will also let in cold outdoor air.

Over time, sloping floors can also result in cracks around doors and windows, allowing more indoor air to escape. Your heating system won't perform optimally. Severe foundation damage can even cause separation of ducts, which throws your HVAC system completely off balance.

If you notice symptoms of foundation problems, such as sloping floors and cracks in your walls, coupled with steadily rising utility bills, you'll want to have your foundation professionally inspected.

Lack of Foundation Insulation

An uninsulated foundation allows for rapid heat loss, which reduces HVAC efficiency. Your home will retain much more heat if the foundation walls, as well as the foundation itself, are insulated.

Modern homes usually have their foundations insulated with materials such as concrete blocks and forms. Older houses often have damaged or no insulation. To fix your heating system's performance issues, you can have your older home retrofitted through the addition of insulation to the interior or exterior basement walls, crawl space, and around the foundation's perimeter underground.

Your home's foundation can cause poor HVAC efficiency, so inspect it to ensure it's in healthy condition. For more ways to improve your home's energy efficiency and comfort, contact Air Assurance. We help homeowners in the Broken Arrow area save energy by providing effective solutions such as duct sealing, air-infiltration sealing, the addition of insulation, and planned maintenance services.

How to Check Your Home Insulation Levels

On cold winter nights, people start thinking a lot more about proper home insulation levels. Insulation installed in the attic and often inside walls prevents both heat loss from the house during winter and heat gain in the summer. Most homes are insulated by either fiberglass batts or cellulose loose-fill.

How Much Is Enough?

Insulation is rated according to its R-value per inch. The higher the R-value, the more effectively the material inhibits the movement of heat.

In our Oklahoma climate zone, current standards recommend insulating the attic to a level of R38 to R60. For fiberglass batts, this translates to 12 to 18 inches. For cellulose, the depth should be 10 to 16 inches.

Wall cavities should be insulated to at least R13. The material should fill the cavity from top to bottom.

Checking Your Level

As the prime location for heat loss and heat gain, the attic is the most important part of the house to insulate adequately. Here's how to measure the level in the attic:

• Wear a long-sleeve shirt and long pants. A face mask to prevent inhalation of insulation fibers or other airborne particulates is a good idea too.

• Take a yardstick with you.

• Stay safe. Make sure you step only on the center walkway boards. Don’t step on insulation, as the ceiling below may collapse.

• To measure fiberglass batts, insert the yardstick down between the edge of the batt and the adjacent attic joist until it stops.

• Measure cellulose loose-fill by pushing the yardstick down into the mound of material until you feel it contact the ceiling below. Because cellulose depth may vary across the attic, take several measurements at different spots to arrive at an average.

Wall Insulation

If your home has insulated wall cavities, measuring isn’t a practical option for the do-it-yourselfer. Manual measurements would require opening up walls to access the enclosed insulation. A better alternative is to have a qualified HVAC contractor utilize thermal imaging to verify the amount and type of insulation inside the wall.

For professional advice and service to determine your home-insulation levels, contact the experts at Air Assurance.

Insulation Costs - Winter Attic Safety and Savings

Tulsa Insulation Costs

Getting your attic sealed and insulated can boost your family's comfort and help you save energy both winter and summer. In our climate, temperatures in an unfinished attic can climb too high for safety many months of the year, so winter is the ideal time to have more insulating R-value added. Attic safety should still be a primary concern even when there's less risk of heat exhaustion and dehydration, so be sure to take these steps before you or a hired pro begin insulating:

Always Wear Protective Gear

Your attic can contain all sorts of injury hazards, so anyone going up there to work needs to wear proper protective gear. This means durable clothing that fully covers the arms and legs, and head protection such as a sturdy hat or helmet. Gloves and safety goggles to protect hands and eyes are needed too, and a respirator to prevent inhalation of insulation fibers.

Set Up Walking Paths

Creating walkways in your attic can make it safer and easier to access areas that need sealing and insulating. First, move any obstacles so you have clear paths to different areas, then lay down 1x4 boards to form a one-foot wide walkway. To keep the boards from slipping and wobbling, screw or nail the ends of each one to the attic floor joists.

Prevent Accidental Shocks

Do a detailed check of your attic to find any obvious or hidden electrical hazards that may cause shocks or electrocution. Check for loose wiring at floor level, gnawed or damaged wires, and open junction boxes. If you find any problems, have them fixed by an electrician before you insulate.

Light Up the Space

Good visibility is paramount for safely working in an attic. If yours only has one or two single-bulb lights, one option is to have your electrician install more. Alternately, you can put a couple of appropriately-rated extension cords and movable work-lights up there so there's plenty of illumination to safely air seal and insulate the entire attic.

For more advice about attic safety in your Broken Arrow home, contact us today at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

How to Check Your Insulation

Adding a little more insulation can go a long way towards making your home more energy efficient, not to mention more livable at the height of the winter and summer months. If you need to check your insulation, the following offers a few ways you can do just that.

Checking Attic Insulation

A quick way to check your insulation in the attic is to look across the attic joists. If the insulation barely reaches the top of the joists, then chances are you’ll need to add more. If the insulation is well above the joists, then there’s ample amount of insulation and adding more may not help you save money and energy.You should also make sure your insulation is evenly distributed throughout the attic. If you see any low spots, then you’ll want to fill these in to create an even surface.If your attic happens to contain vermiculite insulation, a gray, flaky pea-shaped material, you should avoid contact with it. Vermiculite insulation may contain asbestos and it should be tested by a professional to see if it poses a danger to your home.

Checking Wall Insulation

Checking your insulation in the walls can be a bit trickier because you won’t have a way to visually confirm how much insulation exists. Most professionals use borescopes and infrared imaging cameras to check insulation levels without disturbing the wall, but chances are you won’t have that equipment Lane around.Instead, you can remove the protective plate from your wall switch and peer into the gap between the electrical junction box and the surrounding drywall. Sometimes you’ll be able to see if you have any insulation, but you may have to go a step further. You can use a thin wooden or plastic stick to snag a small amount of insulation if it’s there. Avoid using wire coat hangers or other metal objects, since this could pose an electrical hazard.

If you want to check your insulation and need a helping hand, contact the professionals at Air Assurance today. We proudly serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Insulation is Important in Warm Summer Weather, Too

When we're trying to prepare our homes for the winter cold, one tactic we turn to is insulation. When you have enough in the right places around your house, you have a much easier time staying warm.

But what about in the summer? Usually, people are trying to cool their house in the summer, not keep heat in. Does that mean insulation is useless in the summer?

Definitely not! Insulation is just as important in the summer as in the winter. As strange as it sounds, insulation is doing the same job during both seasons. It just has a different result depending on the weather.

How Insulation Works

Insulation works on the principle that hot air will try to move where it's colder until the temperatures are equal. In the winter, the hot air in your home tries to reach the cold air outdoors. In the summer, the hot air outdoors tries to reach the cold air indoors. No matter which way the hot air is moving, insulation slows it down. The thicker the insulation you have, the slower the hot air is able to move.

Choosing the Right Insulation

When you are choosing an insulation for your home, you'll want to look at the insulation's R-value. This number is based on the insulation's density, thickness, and what type of material it's made from. If you're not sure what the best R-value is for your needs, your HVAC contractor can advise you.

You can also discuss with your contractor what type of insulation will work best in the areas you're wanting to insulate. Some common types include:

• Blanket insulation

• Blown (loose-fill) insulation

• Foam insulation

Foam insulation comes in boards as well as in an injectable, expanding form that can effectively seal off awkward areas.

Each type of insulation has its pros and cons in terms of cost, life span, and effectiveness. Whatever you end up choosing, you can rest assured that it will help keep your home more comfortable year-round.

Need some help figuring out if you have enough insulation in your Broken Arrow area home? Contact Air Assurance today!

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “AKuptsova/pixabay”

Before the Chill Sets In, Check to See If You Need More Insulation

A quick visit to the attic of your Broken Arrow home can resolve a nagging worry before winter winds blow: Do I need more insulation? You need to strike a balance between making a worthwhile investment that saves energy, and overstuffing the attic so badly that air circulation is interrupted. 

How Do I Know if I Need More Insulation?

When you peep into your attic and see the tops of the horizontal framing members—the joists—you know you need more insulation. For the Oklahoma region, recommended levels of R30 to R60 will give your home a warm blanket without wasting money on unnecessary insulation. If you cannot see the joist tops because they are under a thick layer of insulation, you probably have enough. A total thickness, from the insulation between the joists to any top layer, should be between 10 and 14 inches in thickness.

I Need More Insulation!

If your Broken Arrow home’s attic comes up short, you have choices in how it is installed:

• Hire a professional to blow in loose insulation

• Buy and unroll unfaced batts at right angles to the attic joists (unfaced means they have no paper or foil backing)

• Hire a professional to apply expanding spray foam insulation

Materials

Once you determine you need more insulation, you can choose from several materials:

• Rock wool—water-resistant mineral fibers

• Fiberglass—the familiar pink or yellow product

• Spray foam—ideal to fill nooks and crannies

• Cotton—natural, and non-irritating

• Cellulose—soft, plant-based insulation

• Rigid foam boards—ideal for crawlspaces and insulating attic ductwork

Keep the Soffits Clear

At the ends of your roof rafters, the roof overhangs your home’s exterior walls. Soffit vents in that overhang allow air to enter your attic, travel along the roof underside, and exit by ridge vents or roof ventilators. When adding more insulation, the tendency is to go overboard and block the rafter ends. This stops natural convection from keeping your attic air at the same temperature as outside air, ruining energy efficiency.To find more insulation answers for your Broken Arrow home, please contact us at Air Assurance.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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Varied Kinds of Insulation Have Different Purposes

Most of you are very aware of the need for insulation in your homes. It has been studied and documented many times. The Department of Energy states that adding insulation can reduce your heating and cooling bill 10 to 30 percent. Certain forms of insulation are not as efficient in all climates or locations within the home. The main areas to be insulated are the attic and the walls. If you have a basement, your home's foundation also needs insulation. What kinds of insulation work best and where? Read on.CelluloseMade mainly from recycled paper, it requires the least amount of energy to produce. Being a loose-fill form of insulation, it can be blown into wall cavities as well as the attic space. It is not for use in the foundation areas. Dampness causes it to get moldy, possibly causing air quality issues down the road. It also loses its R-value (ability to resist heat flow) over time.CottonMainly made from scrap cotton in denim manufacturing and comes as batts (rolls of insulation), cotton is also available as loose-fill. Again, a high moisture level creates a problem. Broken Arrow does have higher rainfall in the fall, but it is mainly occurs in the spring.FiberglassFiberglass requires extensive manufacturing, but gives the best insulation. Its effectiveness and its effect on air quality requires proper installation. Strict codes are now in place. The loose-fill form is more efficient than the batts, unless high-density batts are used. The latter is best for colder climates.Foam InsulationsThis type requires the most refining of raw materials, but it also has a high R-value.

• Polyiso: A rigid foam board with a foil layer for radiant effectiveness. Do not use for very damp applications.

• Polystyrene: Recylable. Extruded form is sold in sheets, with a paper lining on both sides. Expanded form is made of beads. Also used for coolers.

• Polyurethane: An expanding foam spray used to fill cavities. It creates an airtight barrier.

Mineral WoolIt requires extensive extraction, but is good for damp areas as it retains its R-value when wet. It comes as batts and loose-fill.To learn which kinds of insulation best fits your home's needs, contact Air Assurance and we will help you through the process. We know which best fits our climate and local housing construction.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “John Kasawa/Shutterstock”

Insulation R-Value: Important for Helping You Keep Your Cool

Summer is coming, and if you live in northeastern Oklahoma, you'll probably greet warmer temperatures and sunnier skies with open arms. However, when the weather changes, utility bills often get higher. Unrelenting sunshine and hot weather overtax your air conditioner, while new blooms produce pollen that can invade the home and aggravate allergies. One of the most effective and long-lasting ways to lower the cost of cooling and reduce the strain on your HVAC system and appliances is to improve the amount and quality of insulation that protects your home from the outside world. 

How do you know if your home is insulated properly? All modern insulation is graded according to how well the materials can resist heat. An insulation R-value is its resistance value, and it indicates thermal resistance to the flow of heat. In the wintertime, that heat flow needs to stop at the perimeter of your home, in order to avoid wasting money on heat that escapes outside. During the summer months, heat resistance is crucial because it determines how much energy it takes to beat the heat trying to get inside.

The most energy-efficient insulation may be able to reduce bills by as much as 30 percent each month. However, when it comes to insulation R-value, one size doesn't fit all. Insulation calculators and  estimates will help you determine the appropriate R-value for your home's specific altitude, proximity to bodies of water and local climate. Insulation efficiency also depends on how and where it's installed; multiple layers can increase the resistance value, while tightly compressed insulation loses some of its strength.

Regular maintenance, such as thorough, seasonal duct sealing and regular air filter replacement, is also essential to maintain good air quality and prevent energy loss. For more information and advice about keeping your home comfortable and efficient all year, contact us at Air Assurance in Broken Arrow. We have more than three decades of experience in Broken Arrow and the greater Tulsa area, and we can help maximize the quality of your air and make sure you're not wasting money or energy.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Assess Your Home Insulation and Make Improvements Before Fall

Assess Your Home Insulation and Make Improvements Before Fall

When a homeowner thinks about home insulation, he or she is often concerned with its ability to keep the heat outside during the summer and, to a lesser degree, the fall. The reality, however, is that insulation is always a concern, even during the winter months when it's imperative that you keep the heat inside. Checking during the fall to make sure you have the correct amount and type of insulation in your home will work wonders on your energy usage and, in turn, your utility bills. Where to Check Your InsulationInsulation is located in various places around your home, including your basement, attic, walls, etc. Insulation can even be located in your floor. Its primary objective is to create a barrier within the walls, floor, and ceiling that keeps heat or cold from leaking inside or outside. The problem is that many homes don't use the correct kind of insulation for their needs.Evaluating Your Insulation NeedsIn order to insulate your home properly, you're going to need to evaluate each room. The first thing you need to learn is R-value. This refers to the degree of resistance against heat flow of a certain type of insulation. Knowing the recommended R-value in our area is essential if you're hoping for maximum protection against heat loss. The other part of the equation is the type of insulation involved. There are a number of different types, such as flexible rolls, foam, rigid and reflective.How can you tell which type of insulation to use and its required R-value? You can typically find information online or even by visiting your local hardware store. However, much of that may be too generalized. What you should really do is hire a professional HVAC technician who has been efficiently trained and can perform an energy evaluation to determine how to maximize the insulation's efficiency.For more expert advice on home insulation or other home comfort issues, please contact the experts at Air Assurance. We've been serving the needs of the Greater Tulsa Metropolitan area since 1985.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  Image courtesy of Shutterstock