Home Insulation Recommendations & Best Energy Efficient Windows
Here are some home insulation recommendations and best energy efficient windows for easy, greener living. There's a surprising amount to know about how to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There's even more to learn about finding the best insulation for homes, the proper interior wall insulation, and the best attic insulation. There's even a little to learn about an insulation tax credit. We all spend quite a lot of money heating our homes throughout the colder months, and the air conditioning cost in the summer can be unbearable. If we focus on keeping hold of the warmth and cool generated with different types of home insulation, we can get better value for our money and reduce our carbon footprint. These home insulation recommendations will help. By learning about types of blown in insulation, foam insulation cost, and we all want to know this: How does insulation work?
Most fuels for heating the home have a carbon cost, that is to say that carbon dioxide is generated during their production cycle and during combustion. Carbon dioxide is the number one gas concerned in global warming and climate change. Methane is also a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
The better the home insulation types, the easier it is to heat and cool; therefore, the first thing to consider is the different ways in which you can insulate. Even if you live in a big block of flats, a single condominium unit, an apartment, or a single dwelling, many of these measures may still apply; especially the ones related to soft furnishings, doors, and windows. So this should be a major consideration with your home interior decorating ideas and plans, and home insulation recommendations should be a priority.
Home insulation recommendations for your house or apartment that has a loft, high ceilings, or two story; insulation is even more important. The average home loses around a quarter of its heat through the roof. There is a huge range of home insulation products available today, from recycled bottle polyethylene fiber to natural wool. You want to find the best attic insulation, attic stair insulation and cathedral ceiling insulation, if applicable. Prices vary but many governments now subsidize loft and/or attic insulation materials because of the benefits from reducing carbon emissions. You can drop your heating bills (and the associated carbon emissions) by as much as 20% just by putting decent loft insulation or special attic insulation materials into your roof spaces. There are certain insulation tax credits you can benefit greatly from also. And individual companies are going out on a limb offering tax rebates and special incentives for window insulation type window coverings. Which loft insulation you should choose will depend upon your wallet, your climate, and what is available locally. See Best Attic Insulation For Green Homes for more details on the choices available today for all your home insulation recommendations and best energy efficient windows.
If you do opt for any of the fibers which are a potential health hazard, such as fiberglass, make sure that you take proper care of health procedures when fitting the material. Covered versions are now available so that you can just roll out the material without endangering your health. This also holds true for some of the materials which emit toxic fumes if they ignite. It is always worth checking carefully the safety credentials of any insulating material which you plan to use in insulating a home!
"Eco-wool" insulation looks very well as it has passed European safety standards and is made from recycled plastic bottles; every 1000 kg of PET bottle we recycle saves 1500 kg of carbon from the atmosphere. In the US, we mostly use residential foam
insulation or blown attic insulation to meet safety standards and recommendations.
On a cold day, it is instructive to place the back of your hand against the join between windows and their frames. If you can feel a slight draft then it is time to take action. It's also worth noting that you may detect little or no draft in still weather. However, when the wind blows it may be a very different story! You may also feel the cool escaping and intense heat entering the room during the hot summers. The key is to have the best energy efficient windows you possibly can to protect from both the cold AND the heat. Indoor window shutters and outdoor shutters could play a roll in your home insulation, too.
Window sealing materials are cheap and reasonably effective. If the frames are old and poorly fitted, things may be a bit more complicated. If you are not a fan of DIY, it is best to leave home insulation products to a professional, or even think about fitting new windows and do a replacement window comparison. However, fitting window sealing on more regular openings is usually quite easy. You clean the areas to be treated and then cut and stick on the sealant to fit. Check that the window opens and closes normally and that the draft is gone, and you are done. Doors can be treated in much the same way. An outside door will usually need a threshold draft-excluder at the bottom. Many modern doors will come with this ready fitted but such draft-excluders can also be purchased from good DIY stores. Insidedoors where the door does not quite meet with carpet or floor cover can be improved with the addition of a threshold draft excluder. Failing that, a good old fashioned draft-excluder can be made from hollow-fill fiber and some scrap materials. Just roll is into place when you close the door.
If you are in the home interior decorating ideas stage of re-fitting an area of your home, it is well worth considering under-floor insulation. There are many kinds to choose from, depending upon the type of room. There are many cold and heat resistant insulation. If you are buying new carpet, buy the best quality underlay you can afford as it will help heat loss through the floor. Concrete floors can be helped by the addition of fiber board insulation. Laminate floors can be laid on top of special flexible polythene insulation, which is quite thin so does not significantly alter the floor level.
Window panes can lose warmth to the outside world and cool escapes in the summer. Winterizing windows and considering hot summers is a must for energy efficient living. Double and triple glazing will make a huge difference, but there are other products added to the window coverings that will make them much more energy efficient. Heat loss through windows can be cut by half or more but the cost may not be repaid until nearly a decade has passed, even if replacement window costs have come down in price recently. While the R Factor can change tremendously with new windows to about 3.5; Hunter Douglas offersArchitella Duette Shades that will raise that R Factor much more than new windows to as high as 7.0. And that means a payback of 100% cost within 5 years just in the savings of utility costs.
Once you have done all or most of the above, you can hang onto even more warmth and cool by the careful use of soft furnishings. I'm talking insulating curtains, thermal shades, insulated blinds, heavy wall-hangings, thick rugs and dense cushions. A good carpet with underlay is a worthwhile investment, as are good thick rugs.
In the middle ages and renaissance times, wealthy folk put sumptuous wall hangings in their castles and mansions to decorate; but also to help retain heat and cut down drafts. We can do some of the same. There are also specialist paints and other wall treatments which help with warmth. Wallpaper will also help a bit.
Window spaces, which are legendary for losing heat and cool, will benefit from curtains, drapes, or blinds. Make sure that any radiators are not covered by curtains. Curtains should fit the window space snugly for the best effect. Heavy, lined insulated window curtains, insulating window film, thermal roman shades, or beautiful insulated thermal drapery will keep in more heat and cool than thin ones. Blinds will also help retain heat. Ones with heat reflective properties can be used for additional heat retention. Best energy efficient window treatments are those that are layered with several of these combined. Most home insulation recommendations will pay for themselves within a few years, and in the meantime you're snug and cozy or cool and refreshed! Article written and provided by Rona from Greenfootsteps.com Visit Rona for more ways to help YOU help our precious environment! You CAN make a difference in even the smallest ways every day! Return to the top of Home Insulation Recommendations Return to Window Treatment Pro Home Page Learn more about home energy below: |
It is worth checking your floor for potential sources of drafts. Wood floors may have ill-fitting boards which conduct cold or hot air from other parts of the dwelling. To seal the gaps between floor boards look for a flexible sealant cartridge (usually silicone-based) and skeleton gun. Badly fitting floor boards may need to be repaired or replaced. Period homes may need loose-fill insulation to fill the gaps between joists but not everyone is going to want to rip up their floors!
Temporary window insets may suit some because they are cheap and can be removed and stored when not needed. In the US, window solar screens are a good alternative in the summer months. Triple-glazing only costs a small amount more than double glazing but saves up to 80% on heat losses. It is not suitable for frames in poor condition because of the extra weight, but is still one of the best home insulation alternatives.