Insulation and Air Sealing: Why you need both

Insulation and Air Sealing: Why you need both

Conserving energy is not just beneficial for the environment, but also will help reduce your energy bills. Most people know how important it is to properly insulate your home to prevent heat or air conditioning from escaping. However, not everyone realizes the importance of air sealing as well. In order to keep your heating and cooling costs low, we recommend both insulation and air sealing.

What’s the difference between insulation and air sealing?

There are many types of insulation including loose-fill, blown-in, and spray foam insulation; however, they all serve the same purpose. Insulation prevents air from moving through walls, floors, and ceilings. Its purpose is to keep warm air inside of your home in the winter, and cold air inside in the summer.

Air sealing, on the other hand, prevents air from entering through small holes and gaps in your home. The goal of air sealing is to reduce drafts and heat loss by eliminating air leaks. Common areas for air leaking include recessed lighting, outlets, and switches. These gaps can be filled with a spray foam sealant or caulk to prevent air from passing through.

How do I know if my home is air-sealed?

It is fairly easy to see how your home has been insulated, but it is not as simple to see if it has been air-sealed. In order to see if a home has been properly sealed, you can perform a blower door test. This test checks the performance of your air sealing by measuring the rate at which air is escaping.

To test this, a professional will put plastic wrap on the exterior of a door with a fan in it. The fan will blow air into the house and a pressure monitor will detect the rate at which air escapes.

Benefits of both

Most homes will benefit from both insulating and air sealing. Along with energy-saving, your home will also be more comfortable to live in. You will no longer have to worry about your home feeling drafty in the winter time.

Insulating and air sealing will also help reduce the number of air pollutants entering your home. Increasing the air quality in your home can help those who suffer from allergies and asthma. In addition to reducing air pollutants, you can also reduce noise pollution with proper insulation and air sealing.

If you want to improve the energy efficiency of your home then contact Installed Services. Our professional Energy Consultant will evaluate your home from attic to basement and determine what work needs to be done. Contact us today to learn more.