How to Buy Energy-Efficient Insulation

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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While all insulation is energy efficient to some degree, you should exceed the recommended insulation requirements set down by the United States Department of Energy. This is true for both new and old houses.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Determine what areas of your house need insulation. Exterior walls and ceilings are obvious choices, but examine your attic spaces and entrance doors, as well as your foundation and crawl spaces. All these areas, if not insulated, can lower the energy efficiency of your house.

Step2

Buy different types of insulation for different areas of your house. Each type of insulation has an R-value, which determines how effectively the insulation keeps out the outside temperature. Energy-efficient insulation for your home should be at least R-20 for your exterior walls and floor, while ceilings should have an even higher value, such as R-50. The United States Department of Energy has a Zip Code Insulation Program that will help you figure out the recommended R-Values of the insulation for your climate, and also offers cost estimates and rates of return (see Resources below). The program can also use your heating and cooling systems to help select what insulation to buy.

Step3

Select insulation that works well with the other components of your home. Make sure the insulation you select will work well in exterior walls that have windows and doors cut into them. Avoid trying to fit insulation into areas that are too tight or too loose for it, as this will decrease its energy efficiency.

Step4

Ensure that you buy insulation that is not beyond your abilities to install. Blanket insulation is easy enough for a layman to install, while fiber insulation and structural insulated panels should be installed by experienced carpenters. Loose-fill insulation can be blown into place by an amateur but requires special equipment to spread it properly.

Step5

Seal your home in order to prevent moisture from getting into the insulation. Moisture can breed bacteria and mold on insulation, making it less effective than when it is dry. Moldy insulation can also aggravate allergies.

Step6

Find out what insulation already exists in an older home. Make notes of the type of insulation and how it was installed, and try to find out the R-value and the condition of the insulation. Investigate areas of older houses that were usually uninsulated, such as the floors and the foundation.