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

If This Winter Taught Us Anything, It Was The Importance Of Insulation

Oklahoma residents have seen their fair share of snow, ice and cold temperatures this winter. The season called to mind the importance of being prepared for storms and respecting nature’s fury. Most of all, it’s probably taught you the value of your home’s insulation.While insulation falls into the category of “out of sight, out of mind,” it remains absolutely necessary for maintaining a warm, comfortable home. Not only that, energy efficiency increases with proper insulation, which directly impacts your heating and cooling bills. With the right amount and the proper installation of insulation, you can potentially save about 20 percent on your total heating and cooling utility bills.To get the maximum efficiency and comfort, you have to have the right kind and the right amounts of insulation. Insulation is rated according to “R-Value,” which indicates how well the insulation restricts the flow of heat from inside your home to the outside. Higher R-values mean that insulation has a greater ability to restrict the flow of heat.The majority of Oklahoma residents live in zone 3 for R-value, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. In this zone, homeowners should use different types of R-value insulation for various areas of an existing home:

• Attic, uninsulated: R30-R60

• Attic with existing insulation: R25-R38

• Floors: R19-R25

• Walls: R5

Most homes should have insulation in the following areas:

• Unfinished attics

• Exterior walls

• Floors that are directly situated above (unheated) garages and crawl spaces

• Spaces surrounding all windows and doors.

To figure out how much insulation your home needs, you should first determine how much existing insulation you have. Use this equation:(Thickness in inches) x (R-value in one inch) = Insulation’s R-value TotalNow, you can calculate how much insulation you need to add, using this equation:(R-value recommended for your zone) – (existing R-value Total) = The amount of R-value you need to add.If you’re unsure about your home’s insulation, the professionals at Air Assurance are happy to assess your home’s insulation and offer recommendations for improvement. Now is the time to prepare for next winter.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.