ENERGY EFFICIENCY - INSULATIONS
Considering that most families spend close to 50% of their energy bills on space heating, having good insulation and sealing air leaks are extremely important means to improving your home energy efficiency. They are also one of the most cost effective ways to save on energy dollars.
Insulation is measured by “R-values” and R-value requirements of a house will depend on climate conditions, the type of heating used, building design, and the section of the house to be insulated. As an R-value increases, the transfer of heat resistance increases. Insulation may be added in the attic, walls, floors, basement, and crawl spaces of a house to achieve maximum energy savings.
Checking Insulation & Air Leaks
If you have an older home, chances are the insulation in your house is insufficient by today’s standard. You may want to inspect the insulation materials by going up to the attic and getting into the crawl space to check the insulation. By measuring the thickness of the insulation material, you can find out the R-value in your attic and crawl space. You can also open up some of the light switch plates on the exterior wall to check the insulation. Or, you can skip the trouble and answer the questions posted in the Energy Savers website. They can help you to find out whether you have sufficient insulation or whether there are air leaks in your house.
The Energy Star website has a “Do-it-yourself home energy guide to air sealing”. This is a step-by-step guide help you to seal common air leaks and add insulation.
You can access the Washington Energy Code through the Washington State University Energy Program website. There is a 2004 Builder’s Field Guide that is broken down by topics written in non-technical language. The topics include:
You can lookup the Field Guide and download relevant information for your project.
There are many different types of insulation, the DOE Building Envelope Program has detail information to help you choose a material that fits your need. They also have a comprehensive, unbiased fact sheets and handbooks comparing all types of insulation.
For a more independent detailed description about house envelope and insulation, the Rocky Mountain Institute has a Home Energy Brief.
