Written on: April 12, 2021
How were your heating costs this past winter?
If your heating bills are getting bigger and your home isn’t comfortable, there’s something you can do about it now to help lower your heating cost next winter and for many winters to come. That something is adding insulation to your home.
Adding insulation is one of the best investments you can make in keeping your home comfortable. Not only will it help lower your heating costs in the winter, it will help keep your home cooler in the summer and lower your cooling costs.
This varies from home to home. Your home may not be as well insulated as a neighbor’s home of similar size and age. You can find out how much insulation you have with a little investigation.
Check the attic, as well as walls and floors next to an unheated space like a garage or unfinished basement. Structural elements are often exposed in these spaces. That makes it easier to measure the depth or thickness of the insulation.
Electrical outlets let you see insulation behind the walls. Turn off the power to the outlet and remove the outlet cover. Shine a flashlight into the space to see what kind of insulation is behind the wall, and how much is there.
You need to check insulation amounts on every floor and in every room. Insulation is frequently inconsistent, especially in older homes that have been renovated or added onto.
If you want a more thorough investigation of your home’s insulation, you can have a professional home energy audit.
Once you know how much insulation you have, you need to know what an adequate amount of insulation for homes is here in central Maine. The U.S. Department of Energy breaks the country down into zones to determine proper insulation.
There are several types of insulation to choose from. Your choice depends on your needs, and how much you’re willing to spend.
You can count on AFC for dependable heating oil and propane delivery. Get in touch with us to become a customer.