A lot of people don’t think about their insulation or maintaining it; for many homeowners, it’s out of sight, out of mind. However, your insulation is extremely important for maintaining a comfortable home and helping your heating and air conditioning do its job.
Found in storage rooms, attics, walls, doors, windows, and flooring, insulation acts as a barrier to prevent heat from escaping out of your house. The most common options for insulation in modern homes include batts (cotton, mineral wool, or fiberglass), roll insulation, and blown-in insulation. When installed correctly, this material allows you to enjoy consistent temperatures from season to season. However, when your insulation starts to wear down or becomes damaged over time, you may start to notice that your furnace or air conditioner is less efficient. Faulty insulation can also affect humidity levels in places like your attic, leading to mold growth and various other damage. Keep reading to learn more on how insulation helps your home’s HVAC system, and if you suspect there is a problem with your residential insulation, do not hesitate to call a professional to have it inspected.
3 Ways Proper Insulation Improves Your HVAC System’s Performance
- Locks in Temperatures: As mentioned above, insulation prevents heat from escaping your home, making it extremely important for maximizing your HVAC system’s performance during the wintertime. However, insulation also locks in temperatures during the summer, preventing cool air from escaping while keeping the warm air outside. While it is impossible not to lose some heating and cooling power through various cracks and holes in your house, you can mitigate air loss by maintaining proper insulation.
- Increases Savings: As mentioned above, air loss is common when running your HVAC system. In fact, a staggering 20-30% of heating and cooling power in lost in homes across America on average. When air escapes from your house like this, your HVAC system will have to work harder to heat/cool your entire household, resulting in higher energy bills overall. But with solid insulation around your home, temperatures will remain more consistent year-round, meaning that from season to season, you will be able to pay lower utility bills for greater comfort.
- Upgrades Property Value: Insulation can become worn down for many reasons over time, from water damage and other types of wear and tear to rodent and insect infestations. When you need a property inspection to ensure your house is ready to sell, this type of old, torn up insulation can be a major problem. No one wants to move into a home without proper insulation, as you want some kind of reassurance that you will be able to enjoy comfortable temperatures inside, no matter what the weather is like. Therefore, to improve your property value and guarantee that your home stays in the solid condition you want it in, checking to see that you have working insulation is key.
To learn more about the benefits of insulation, or to schedule heating and cooling service with our comfort experts, call (503) 694-3396, or just send us a message online.