We’re glad you’re back for more tips! Keep reading to find out how you can save money by installing insulation.
Adding Insulation to Walls on Main Floors
It’s fairly easy to add insulation in stud bays where none exists. (To check, cut the power to a few outlets on exterior walls, then unscrew and look behind the cover plates.) A contractor drills small holes through the inside or outside wall and blows in material. Costs range from around $1.25 per square foot for loose-fill fiberglass, cellulose, or rock wool to $4.40 for polyurethane foam, which insulates about twice as well.
If your walls already have some insulation, you probably can’t add more without tearing into the drywall or plaster. That’s not cost effective unless you’re remodeling, so the best strategy may be to wait until you need to replace siding. Then you can add insulating sheathing underneath it.
Basements and Crawl Spaces
Even though hot air rises, homes lose heat in all directions. So besides insulating the top and sides of your house, you also need to insulate the bottom, where as much as 30% of energy loss can occur. As with the attic, you have two choices: Insulate under the bottom floor and treat the crawl space or basement as outdoor space, or insulate the walls and treat the area as indoor space. In that case, you would close off all exterior vents except those needed for combustion air or exhaust.
Though floor insulation is more common, wall insulation has many advantages, including cost—it takes about a third less material to insulate the walls of a 36-by-48-foot basement as to insulate the subfloor above. A key detail, not understood by all builders, is to place a layer of rigid foam insulation against the foundation to keep moisture from condensing against the cold walls. If you want to finish the basement, you can cover the foam with a stud wall, fill it with unfaced fiberglass insulation, and cover with drywall.
At Alamance Insulation and Gutters, we’re a leader in the insulation and home performance industries. Serving customers throughout North Carolina, from Greensboro, Burlington, Elon and Mebane to , Durham, and Raleigh, we can help with all your insulation and gutter needs. We’re expecting a cold winter this year – whenever that may happen – and your gutters and insulation could be at risk. For all your insulation and gutter needs – in winter or otherwise – contact Alamance Insulation and Gutters today. We’d love to help!