Updated: July 22, 2024
Insulation is usually associated with colder weather, but the truth is, good insulation is necessary to keep your home energy efficient year-round. There are several types of insulation from which to choose, and many homeowners use a combination of types to achieve the best level of insulation possible. Improving your insulation has several important benefits, and fall offers a perfect window of opportunity to improve your insulation in Jacksonville before the cooler weather of winter arrives. J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing has been helping customers with insulation issues for over four decades, so let our experienced and trained technicians improve your insulation.
Why It’s Important to Have Good Insulation
The main job of insulation is to slow the transfer of heat; this is because heat will always move from warm areas to cold areas. There are 3 ways heat flows:
- Convection – the way heat circulates through liquids and gases
- Conduction – the way heat moves through materials
- Radiation – heat that travels in a straight line and is absorbed by anything exposed to it
Without good insulation, heat will enter your home during the warm months and exit your home during the cool months. Insulation creates a barrier that significantly reduces the movement of heat, allowing you to maintain your heating and cooling as needed.
Types of Insulation
There are 4 main types of insulation:
- Batt insulation (roll insulation)
- Foam board/rigid foam insulation
- Loose-fill insulation (also known as blown-in)
- Spray foam insulation
Batt insulation has been around for a long time and is what people usually picture when they think of insulation: pink layers. Foam board insulation can be used from top to bottom in a home, but because of its inflexibility, it is best used in walls, floors, ceilings, and trusses. Loose-fill insulation is great for retrofitting because it is blown directly into the walls of a home, and it fills crevices that can be hard to reach. Spray foam is relatively new, but has become very popular quickly. Spray foam is an adhesive that expands tremendously when it hits the air. Because it’s a foam, it covers all areas, especially hard-to-reach ones, and once it hardens, it becomes an airtight seal.
Benefits of Good Insulation
Proper insulation offers many benefits for homeowners. The biggest benefit is decreased energy bills. When your home is properly insulated, your HVAC system doesn’t have to run as frequently to heat your home. Increased energy efficiency from quality insulation adds up to big savings.
With better insulation, the temperature in your home is more stable creating a more comfortable environment. Your family will be warmer this winter with proper insulation. Also, insulation protects your home. The internal elements of your home like pipes and walls are protected from the damage that extreme temperatures cause.
- Better energy efficiency
- Improved comfort
- Reduced noise levels
- Less wear on your heating and cooling systems
Where to Insulate
Insulation is necessary throughout the home; however, these specific places are essential for proper protection.
- Attic
- Crawl Space
- Exterior Walls
- Attached Garages
- Finished Basements
- Doors and Windows
- Ceilings
R-Value
How well insulation resists conductive heat flow is measured in R-value, which is thermal resistance. A higher R-value indicates higher effectiveness. To increase the R-value for your home, install additional insulation. Over time, the R-value level of your insulation may decrease due to compression. When insulation becomes compacted it loses thermal resistance.
Before winter arrives, invest in new attic insulation in order to improve your home’s R-value. Because R-value shifts based on various factors, homeowners should pay attention to the symptoms of poor insulation.
Attic Insulation
Attic insulation is one of the easiest places to replace or add more insulation to your home. The attic is one area of your home where the temperature fluctuates the most. It’s the hottest spot in summer and the coldest in the winter. Blown-in fiberglass insulation is easy to install and offers additional support against home heat transfer.
At J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing we install blown-in fiberglass attic insulation. Schedule your appointment now to save money this winter. The attic insulation is applied on top of the existing insulation to build a thicker layer of protection. Bulky materials like fiberglass insulation resist conductive heat flow. Conductive heat loss is the type of heat loss that most often occurs in homes.
Other Ways to Prepare Your Home for Winter
As with installing new insulation, you can take other actions to prepare your home for winter. Start by checking for air leaks in your home. Ensure windows and doors are properly sealed to avoid air transfer. Also, clean the vents in your home simply by vacuuming away dust and debris. This will help air flow more freely. You can also schedule preventative HVAC maintenance to ensure your system is ready.
Contact Us Today
Having the proper level of insulation in your Jacksonville home is good for you and your wallet. If you need help with your insulation, call the people with over 40 years of experience: J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing. We have decades of experience helping make Florida homes warmer and more energy efficient. Let us help get your home’s insulation ready for winter. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Contact us online or call (904) 764-0040 today to book an appointment.
