How Much Insulation Does Your New Home Need?

When it comes to insulating or reinsulating your home, you need have as much insulation that is required based on the region you live – amongst other factors. Usually, the type of insulation is determined by your geographic location. Also, many people believe that just because you live in a warm or tropical region you don’t need as much insulation, but this is a fallacy that will get you in a lot trouble. All regions – hot and cold – need insulation. However, knowing exactly how much insulation can be a little tricky and there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. So, how much insulation does your home need? – It depends on the age of your home, where you live and what your energy demands are.

One of the first considerations to make is to determine how old your home is. Typically, older homes need more insulation, especially if they haven’t been reinsulated in a while. Reinsulating an older home is a typical part of the retrofitting process. Moreover, depending on how old your home is, there are different types of insulation that can create the best thermal barrier. For instance, you can choose between fiberglass, cellulose or a wool based insulation.

Next, you need to determine what zone you are in. Different regions have different zones. The zones are organized by individual climates. The Southwestern zone is vastly different than the Northeaster zone. According to the different zones, a certain number is applied that correlates with something called an R-value. The R-value of the insulation is how much of a thermal barrier the insulation can create – the more extreme the temperatures of your specific climate, the higher the R-value.

Another factor that you must look at is the size of your home and the way it is laid out. Do you have a more open floor plan or a closed floor plan? Do you have high ceilings and deep lofts? Figuring out how open your home is will allow you to determine how freely the air moves around and how well temperature regulates. The higher your ceilings, or the larger you home, the more insulated it will need to be. However, the more closed your home is, the more warm air can trap itself and provide warmth, thus reducing the amount of insulation you need. Moreover, if you have an attic, or any other area of your home where temperatures can rise and escape, you might need to install extra insulation. One of the benefits of home insulation is for temperature control, but also to prevent energy loss.

Lastly, when it comes to the size and material of the insulation, you can always add a few numbers to the R-value. More insulation is always better than less, especially if you aren’t sure how much insulation you need to add to begin with. If you live in a climate where you have to rely on the heating and air conditioning system to keep you warm and cool, than you probably need more insulation. However, if you live in more temperate or moderate climate, you can probably get away with less. When it comes down to it, all you want is to feel comfortable in your own home.