Insulation isn’t pretty. Choosing countertops, flooring, wall colors and window treatments – that’s the fun part of building or remodeling a home. Those are the things that will make your home pretty and impress your visitors. Insulation? Not so much
So why think about it? Why not just let your builder or contractor put whatever into your walls?
Because it’s way more important than you think. Here are the top five reasons you should give your insulation some serious thought.
1. There’s more to it than you think
Insulation products can – and should – do more than help maintain comfortable temperatures within your home and help control your energy bills. Thanks to some recent advances in building science, today’s insulation products can go much further in helping you:
- Achieve a truly comfortable environment – and that involves air quality, noise levels, and an air-tight home
- Guard your family’s health
- Protect the investment you’ve made in your home
2. Your climate matters
This is probably the most straightforward part of choosing insulation. Insulation comes in different “R-values,” which measure its ability to block cold air movement from one side of it to the other. The colder your climate, the higher the R-value you’ll need to stay comfortable – and energy efficient.
3. What you’re insulating matters
We hope you don’t think it’s only your exterior walls that need insulation. It’s crucial to insulate attics, basements and crawl spaces as well, and by helping reduce room-to-room noise, insulating the walls between rooms can make a big difference too. The tricky part can be in knowing the right kind of insulation to use in each area.
4. The type – and even the brand – of insulation products matter
Fiberglass batts, blow-in fiberglass, spray foam, vapor barriers … what type will you use in which areas of your home? While you can get different insulation products from various manufacturers, you must understand that even standard fiberglass batts are not all created equal. Some are certified by independent organizations like GREENGUARD. Others aren’t. Some help with moisture management. Others don’t. And to date, only one can be considered “smart.” From CertainTeed, SMARTBATT™ with MoistureSense™ Technology helps control the moisture that can seep into your walls, and in doing so, helps protect your home and family from the ravages of mold, mildew and rot.
5. You need to get it right the first time
Don’t like the color of your walls? Easy enough to repaint. Don’t like that rug as much as you thought you would? Simple – get a new one. With many of the decisions you’ll make building or remodeling your home, it’s not the end of the world if you find your choice was not quite right. But if you discover mold, noise, draftiness or temperature problems after your walls are closed up, fixing them is going to be trouble. Big, expensive trouble.
We hope these tips have given you some food for thought. With just a little bit of knowledge, you’ll be able to make insulation choices that will create the comfort, efficiency and protection your family deserves.
To help you get started, let’s find out what you really know about insulation.
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Tip: It’s easy! Most of the answers are right here in this article.
