Keep Air Conditioned Air Where It Belongs: Inside Your House

5/19/2020

Beyond attics and walls, imagine a home insulation solution that creates a snug “housing envelope” controlling heat, air, moisture, and sound. Control the climate inside your home with the right insulation and the right company to give you peace of mind. Even the smallest gaps and cracks can be filled with spray foam insulation.

Insulate Your Whole Home

Having the correct amount of insulation can help you maintain a comfortable temperature throughout your home and help save money on your energy bills – plus, prevent major issues like ice dams in the winter.

A = Attic – Protects your home from cold, heat, and humidity. Save on power bills.
B = Basement – Helps reduce heating costs and prevent damage caused by moisture.
C = Ceiling – Provides even in-home temperature. Prevents mold and moisture issues.
D = Crawlspace – Improves moisture control. It helps reduce exterior noise.
E = Walls – Improves moisture control. It helps reduce interior and exterior noise.
F = Gaps & Cracks – Seals gaps for airtightness. Prevents mold, pests, and noise.

Keep Your House Cool This Summer

The two biggest culprits leading to both heating and cooling loss are air leakage and poor insulation. Follow these three steps to prevent air leakage in your home:

Close up attic air leaks. In the average home, statistics show that 85 percent of a house’s air loss is through the attic. About one-third of the heat loss is through the ceiling into the attic. And most of that loss comes from air leaks caused by unblocked walls, gaps in drywall, and cracks around light fixtures, plumbing pipes, chimneys, access hatches, and other ceiling penetrations. The temperature in your attic is very different than that of any other place in your home and this causes greater air movement through these gaps, cracks, or holes. Air leaks can be tough to stop. You have to climb into your attic, pull or rake back insulation, and plug the leaks using foam, caulk, and other methods. Plus, low roof angles make air leaks difficult to reach.
Measure your attic insulation level. While you’re in your attic, you’ll also want to check the depth of your attic insulation. Building codes require about 18 to 24 inches of fiberglass or cellulose. Add more if you have less than 12 inches and have had ice dam problems in the past. Blown-in cellulose, fiberglass, or closed cell spray foam are usually better than hand-placed batts because they fill more tightly around rafters, joists, and other obstructions, leaving fewer gaps. It’s usually worth hiring a professional for this job; you probably won’t save much by doing it yourself.
Add roof ventilation and soffit vents. Attic ventilation draws in cold outdoor air and flushes out warmer attic air, cooling the attic and the roof in the process. The minimum ventilation area (size of the openings) should be about 1 sq. ft. of vent per 300 sq. ft. of ceiling area (attic floor area), when half the vent area is low on the roof and half is high. Actually figuring all this out is a bit complex; you’d have to examine your existing vents to find the area of each vent. This is easier said than done. Also be sure that all vents and soffits are clear from debris and blockages like old insulation, leaves, bugs, or leaves. Not all attic ventilation systems are the same. This can make it even more confusing to ensure yours is working correctly. Ensure your ventilation system is correct for the application it is configured for before making changes to it.

We Have a Solution for You

If you’ve experienced any of the following, you’re a prime candidate for an air leakage test:

Hot air and cold spots
Unreasonable fluctuating energy bills
Drafty areas
Upstairs that is 10 degrees warmer than downstairs in the summer
Ice dams on your roof
Moisture spots on drywall
Mold-like substances
Frosty windows
Critters, pets, unusual spiders, box elder bugs, Asian beetles, stink bugs

Our air leakage test provides a full comprehensive inspection from the top of your attic to the bottom of your basement. Utilizing our newest and top-of-the-line inspection tools, we’ll calculate the exact amount of air leakage in your home to determine next steps customized to your home.

Take the First Step & Call Today

If your insulation doesn’t measure up and you’ve experienced any of the items noted above, give Service Legends a call today at 515-657-6634. We’d be glad to answer any of your questions and even help you choose the right type of insulation for your home.

515-657-6634 Request Appointment Online

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