How to Improve the Insulation in Your Old Home

Getting the insulation in your old home improved can be a great idea. There are many reasons to do so, including saving money on your heating and cooling bills, preventing mold from forming, and more. We’ll discuss how you can improve the insulation in your older home for the best results.

Make Sure You Have the Right Insulation

Insulation keeps your home warm in the winter and cools in the summer. Make sure that whatever type of insulation you choose for your old house is appropriate to both seasons. If, for example, you live in an area with extreme winters, a high R-value like 12 or 13 might be needed; but if you live in an area with extreme summers, a low R-value of, say, 0.35 might be better so that your home doesn’t get too hot during the summer. There are many types of new insulation materials to choose from nowadays, like roof spray polyurethane foam. Take some time to research the best choice for your home.

Consider Adding Insulation to Your Attic

If you don’t have a lot of house-wide insulation, consider putting some in the attic. This can be expensive or inexpensive depending on what kind of material you use for this project (insulation boards are a good budget option). If you want to save money and do it yourself, then look into a product called “batts”, which are pieces of cotton insulation that can be installed without any tools.

Check for Gaps and Holes

Check to make sure that there are no air leaks in your home. Air leaks can be caused by cracks around windows or doors, loose electrical wires, and more. If you spot any of these problems, seal them as soon as possible with proper caulking or other sealing material like foam insulation. You can also use a dehumidifier in any room with a lot of moisture to help keep the air inside dry and prevent molds from growing.

Get a New Heating and Cooling System

If you have an old furnace or air conditioner, consider getting a newer, more energy-efficient one. This can save you money on your electricity bill in the long run. If it’s not cost-effective for you to get this done right away but would like to do so later, then look into a program called a “cash-back rebate”, which will allow you to get a new system installed at no cost and then save money on your energy bill back later.

Take Advantage of Weatherization Programs

Some utilities offer a free or reduced-cost program for helping to improve insulation in your old home. These can provide you with new windows, doors, and other materials that will help reduce the energy costs in your older house. This is often done by providing grants for these projects, so make sure you check with your utility for more information on what is available.

There are many ways in which you can improve the insulation in your old home. By following these five steps and some of the other tips we talked about here, it’s possible to make a big difference in how energy efficient your older house is and save money at the same time.