Attic Insulation Saves you Money

 Whether spring, summer or Canada’s bitter winters, attic insulation will help your home from the top down, and beef up your pockets in the process.

Cold weather is never far away from us as Canadians, even with spring approaching. Understanding what types of insulation, and where insulation can have the greatest effect are important pieces of knowledge to have when outfitting your home. Today’s top insulation products will help to save you money, they’re environmentally friendly, and they will help to reduce the energy consumption in your home.

In most Ottawa homes, and across Canada, the greatest return you can get is by insulating your attic. Over a quarter of all heat loss in your home occurs from the attic. Standards have risen sharply in recent years, and even some modern homes won’t meet standards for attic insulation. Many builders meet minimum standards, leaving your wallet leaking along with your heat.

You want to aim for a minimum R value of 40 in your attic, with the ideal being in the R50-R60 range. Many builders will only build with R32 or less, which has minimal effect, and provides little to no vapour barrier in your attic. Following these recommended R-values, you can reduce the heat loss in your attic by nearly 80%, saving you money, and reducing those cold winter nights.

At the very least, you’ll want a minimum of about 16 inches of insulation in your attic, or you’re likely wasting away money (may depend on the type and quality of insulation you have). A general rule of thumb is that the fluffier the insulation, the more you’ll need to create the same R value as blanket like batt insulation.

There are several options for upgrading the attic insulation in your home. Whether you want to DIY, or hire a contractor to take care of the process from start to finish, there are plenty of options available. Having your insulation looked after but a licensed contractor ensures that you’ll be getting the job done right. Contractors like EcoTech offer insulation removal services, and will inspect your attic to make sure that the new insulation reaches maximum efficiency.

Often times there can be rodents, mold or other elements eroding and polluting the insulation in your attic. You want to remove these before applying new insulation or you risk contaminating the new insulation which will waste your investment. When looking for certified insulation contractors, look for contractors who provide a guarantee on their work. Preferably a 100% lifetime guarantee.

Attics may be out of your line of sight, but they shouldn’t be out of mind when it comes to insulating your home. In fact they should be one of the first, and most important areas of your home to insulate for maximum return. Combine quality attic insulation with professional spray foam installation in the rest of your home and you’ll have an energy bill you can smile about.