Many of us don't think about how our home performs beyond the comfort of our living space yet we all dread that time of the month when the utility bill rolls around. I am one of these people. Although I have worked in the insulation business for about ten years now I freely admit that I simply do not go up to the attic as often as I should. Everyday, outside the home I am part of a team that educates people about how the proper insulation of the home is the most important thing that we as homeowners can do to combat rising energy costs. Until now, I haven't bothered to look at what is happening in my own home. After having a new energy efficient air conditioning system installed recently, I have made the commitment to put into practice what our company preaches on a daily basis. It will be a big undertaking in a home that is 30 plus years old so I may need some help establishing my "action plan". It is well established that most air leakage occurs through the attic space so my first plan of attack is to grab a flashlight and get up there! Hopefully, I will find that all that is needed is a little extra R-value added to my existing insulation.
Simply adding insulation is a great beginning, but may not be the cure all to my high utility bills. Because the insulation system should perform in harmony with the home's HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system, I may have a larger problem than just being under-insulated. One thing I hear often from the people that we serve is that once they see what type of difference a little added insulation can make they are inspired to take it the next step. If this is the case, it might be time to consider having an analysis performed by a certified HERS (Home Energy Rating System) rater.
HERS raters are able to identify energy saving opportunities and choose the most promising. They can compare the life cycle cost of taking action against the life cycle cost of not taking action. Although energy conservation, increasing efficiency, and savings are key goals of an energy rater, do not overlook that your living comfort and enhanced health and safety are also the priority of the HERS rater. This is achieved by reducing harmful by-products created by out-dated systems that aren't working in sync with one another.
In my next blog I will identify the issues that I find in my own attic and, step by step, I will share with you my plan to seal up the space. I will also share with you the most effective means of insulating to conserve energy and to reduce my utility bills.