San Diego had an unusually cold winter and despite the sunny skies, we’re still not completely over the cold spell. The thought of paying extra high gas and electric bills. draining the pocketbook, might make some homeowners shiver.
How well your home is insulated can make all the difference in both the cold and hot months. There are some simple things you can do to try to reduce your energy bill.
First check your home for any air leaks. Maybe the insulation has worn down and needs replacing. You can do things like have a blower door test to reveal where your air leaks might be. Using a high-powered fan, the air pressure is lowered inside your home. Once that happens, the higher outside pressure will makes its way back in through any unsealed cracks and openings.
Next have an inspection that will check for the insulation’s R-value. This will let you know how well your insulation is resisting heat and cold from traveling through it.
Hiring a contractor to take a look at your home and its structure can be very beneficial. Whether you’re doing a remodel or you’re simply interested in fixing up your home’s insulation, an industry expert can offer the best solutions.
Steven Mark,a design consultant with Marrokal Design & Remodeling, says that these days homeowners are interested in green products for their homes. A big reason for the environmentally-friendly products is to avoid unnecessary carcinogens.
“All those new products that you’re bringing into your home, they look nice but many of them are off-gassing carcinogens.”
Mark says that certain products can help keep your home better insulated and keep your indoor air quality healthy. “On our roof sheeting we use a special plywood that has a layer of metal in it that actually reflects the UV rays before they go into your attic.”
Using that type of roof sheeting can keep the attic 20 to 30 degrees cooler in the hot summer, which means all the other energy-sucking devices like the air conditioner don’t have to run as much to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
Insulation is key to keeping your home at a comfortable temperature in both the hot and cold times. Today, there are several choices that not only do a great job of insulating your home but also help to preserve the environment.
“Green” insulation that is environmentally friendly and made from recycled materials varies from about 30 percent of recycled material to upwards of 85 percent. The environmentally-friendly insulation replaces the old pink fiberglass insulation that off-gases carcinogens like formaldehyde. One of the highest products made from recycled materials is a blue insulation that is made from about 85 percent blue jeans and cotton.
Understanding the things you can do to keep your home warm in the winter months and cool in the hot summer, without having to run the heater and air condition systems non-stop, will keep you comfortable and save you money.
