Homeowners in Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo who are looking to improve their home comfort and lower their heating and cooling costs may be wondering if upgrading their home’s insulation is the right solution. Maybe you’ve poked your head up in your attic and can see that your insulation is looking old and discolored, with gaps in coverage, and you’re thinking about removing it and starting over fresh.
But insulation updates alone may not fix the underlying comfort and energy efficiency issues you’re experiencing! Here’s what you need to know about the importance of air sealing at the same time that you replace your insulation for maximum benefit.
How Do Insulation and Air Sealing Work Together?
To understand how these two complement each other, we should understand what each one does. Insulation helps to slow heat transfer between the inside and outside of your home. Air sealing, on the other hand, helps to slow air movement.
Many types of insulation, including blown-in cellulose and fiberglass, are great insulating materials, but their performance is weakened when exposed to air movement. This is where air sealing comes in—by filling in the many tiny cracks and gaps in your home’s thermal boundary, you can help your insulation work more effectively and better protect your home.
The Benefits of Air Sealing Your Attic When You Upgrade Your Insulation
One of the most common ways for homeowners to update their homes is with attic insulation, and air sealing at the same time offers a number of additional benefits for your home, including:
- Fewer indoor drafts
- Lower energy bills
- Improved indoor air quality
Air leaks can not only let in outdoor temperatures (cold air in the winter, hot air in the summer), but moisture and high humidity, which can damage your attic insulation and lead to harmful mold growth and unhealthy indoor air. With insulation and air sealing savings, you’ll be able to heat and cool your home for less, resulting in year round reduced energy costs and more even whole home comfort.
Schedule an Energy Audit for Find and Stop Air Leakage Today
One of the best ways to identify and locate the holes and gaps that leak air in your home, whether it’s around recessed lights in your attic, dropped ceilings in your kitchen, or wiring holes left by utility or cable companies, is with a healthy home assessment and home energy audit from WMGB Home Improvement.
Using advanced building science technology like blower door testing and infrared thermal imaging, as well as the expertise of our qualified home performance team, who have performed a combined 6,000+ energy audits throughout the state, we’ll help you find the weakest points in your home and recommend the best solutions to address the problem. As the leading insulation and air sealing contractors in western Michigan, we’ll help you get to the bottom of the issues you’re having in your home.
