subject: Home Improvement Measures [print this page] Insulation is probably the most important home improvement that you can invest in to make your home energy efficient. Most of the houses use maximum of their energy for heating and cooling purposes, which is not effective if the house is not insulated properly. This results in energy loss as well as increased power bills. However, with effective insulation, you can lower your energy bill by over 20% at least.
Insulation creates an effective barrier and resists flow of heat, as a result the house remains warm during winters and cool during summers. Consequently, you can turn down the thermostat by a few degrees and save on electricity bill. Along with utility savings, insulation can also earn you incentives through various government-funded programs such as Home Star, for making your home more energy efficient. In addition, insulation also acts as a sound barrier and restricts transmission of sound from one room to another or from outside to inside, hence lowering noise pollution.
There are different types of insulation available in the market, including batts, rools, spray-on, radiant barrier and blown in insulation. These use different insulation material, with variable R-values, such as fiberglass, cellulose, foam and mineral wool. Depending upon the insulation required, estimated as per the local building code, you may use a combination of insulation products. On treatment of the insulation material such as cellulose with fire retardant chemicals can also offer effective fireproofing and reduce the risk. In addition, you may also install firestop, which comprises of various components that seal gaps and joints in the walls and floor, making a passive fire proofing system. For purchasing and installation of insulation that enhance the house's energy efficiency can earn you rebate through the Home Star program, which helps helps offset the project costs.
Whether you choose firestop or insulation product, its quality and effectiveness is a better judging criteria than its cost. In addition to these, proper installation is also important and must be done by a professional. Moreover, the material types as well as the skills required for installation of insulation and firestop is similar, and generally the Firestop installer can effectively install insulation as well. This saves you money as well as time. Furthermore, both these measure not only enhances Fire Proofing
and energy efficiency of your home, but also increases the value of your property.
