How Important is Insulation in the Winter?

With the arrival of colder temperatures, you’re probably wondering how you can best keep your home warm. New heating systems or heat pumps can help, but the first thing you should do is make sure that your house is properly insulated enough to keep all of that heat inside. Here’s everything you need to know about the importance of insulation in the winter.

What is Insulation?

Properly installed insulation is designed to maintain the interior temperature of a home throughout the year. In summer, the insulation will help keep the home cool, and in winter, it will protect the house from cold temperatures. But it’s not just temperature that insulation protects against; good insulation will also offer a level of sound reduction as well, keeping the outdoor noises outdoors.

There are several different types of insulation, so the type you choose will depend on where it is being installed and what your specific needs are. Most materials will be wool-like and somewhat fluffy. This allows the air to get trapped inside, preventing it from reaching the wall. Other materials used are cotton, hemp, and polyurethane-based spray foam.

Where to Insulate

There are several areas of a home that can benefit from proper insulation. Here are the most common locations that need insulation:

• Attic – As the empty space at the top of the house, the attic is the first place you should think about insulating. Since hot air rises, an insulated attic will keep that hot air from escaping through the roof during winter. In summer, it will protect the interior from the heat of the sun.
• Walls – Whether you have solid walls or hollow ones, you’ll want to insulate them. For hollow walls, insulation is placed directly in the wall cavity. With solid walls, you can insulate the internal or external wall.
• Windows and Doors – Large sections of glass are an easy place to lose insulation, so take care to choose insulating windows and doors. Double or triple glazed windows and glass doors will offer sound reduction and temperature regulation.
• High Ceilings – If your home has cathedral or vaulted ceilings instead of an attic, take care to insulate these areas well, or you’ll lose a lot of heat.
• Floors – If your home is recently built, there is probably already insulation under the concrete floor. Older houses, on the other hand, may be a much larger job that requires lifting up the current floor to place insulation underneath. If this isn’t a possibility for you, rugs and mats can provide some insulation on non-carpeted floors.

Often, finding out where your home needs insulation requires the assistance of a professional. With experience in all types of insulation, the experts at Anderson Insulation will be able to inspect your home and identify areas that need insulation. Ready to get started? Give us a call today!