Home Heat Loss

Most homes are built with poor insulation and home heat loss is a daily struggle for not poorly built homes, as well as older, homes. When combating the problems of heat loss, focus on the escape areas.

Heat predominantly exits a home through the walls, the ceilings, the windows and the doors. Most of these areas were not made with energy efficiency in mind; therefore, the homeowner pays the price, literally. Directing efforts to all four areas for insulation purposes can make marked improvements on a home’s energy efficiency.

Ceilings:

Heat rises. Most attics do not have adequate insulation; therefore, the heat escapes. Many times, attics and roofs are forgotten about until there is a leak. Insulating these areas set an immediate impact. Depending on the accessibility of an attic will determine the route taken to insulate.

Many attics are unfinished with open walls and floors, exposing joists. First, sealing any holes and leaks is the first step. Insulating over these exposures will not eliminate the issue, but cause more problems down the road. Either applying insulated rolls (batts) or blowing-in insulation with the proper equipment is a home improvement project that should kept up with routinely.

Walls:  The easiest place to cutback on costs with home builders is the insulation of the walls. Feel the walls throughout the home. When the walls are cold on a fall to winter day, imagine the constant heat loss that is continuing through the walls. Not only can blowing in insulation in walls that are sealed or applying rolls to exposed walls, adding insulation to the exterior of the home, between the walls and siding can provide an excellent home blanket. When contracted to install siding, the added insulation is a key component that is not included, due to costs.

Windows: No place can heat loss be more apparent than windows. Mostly every window is energy inefficient. From the glass, to the frame, to the seal, windows are the enemy when trying to prevent heat loss. Conduction and convection are routes that heat use to escape through windows, so having a window that has a insulated frame and glass, that does not leak will add to energy efficiency.

Doors:  Efficient doors can mean lower energy bills. Homeowners will add plastic to a window as a last-ditch effort to insulate a home, but will forget the over-sized gaps that surround a poorly fitted door. Foyers are usually cold spots in the winter and surprisingly, taken for granted. Not only do home improvement projects like installing doors add aesthetics, but it will help with insulation, with better fitting into the frame and with more insulated material in the door, as well.