Why We Must Improve Energy Efficiency Together

What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency is simply using less energy for the same tasks. The primary intention of energy efficiency practices is to lower energy consumption in a manner that does not affect the living quality. Another objective of the energy efficiency standards is to reduce the Greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere by residents and commercial buildings as well. This is a significant reason why we all must improve energy efficiency. Our homes and businesses are the most valuable properties we have. These places make us feel warm and safe. But don’t take that for granted. There are a lot of building practices that need to be met before a house or business can be considered as living or working space qualified. Energy efficiency standards stay along with the building practices for the betterment of living areas. In this article, we will break down energy efficiency and explain everything we know, including insulation systems as one of the best methods that help to improve energy efficiency.

How to improve energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency is the gold standard for all types of houses. Whether an old or lately built home, it is never too late to upgrade your living space to the next level. A good energy efficient upgrade is the insulation system. By applying insulation in your walls and attic you get to receive plenty of goods in return. The main objective of insulation systems is to improve energy efficiency by creating an air barrier throughout the house. If properly installed and with the proper materials, heat transfer will be reduced leading to lower energy bills and a more comfortable living area. 

Other benefits of insulation systems:

• Prevent mold from growing into the insulated walls.
• Obstruct pests and rodents from approaching the insulated perimeter.
• Reduce noise coming from outside of the house and in between rooms.
• Significantly increase the value of your property by 3% up to 6%.

Insulation for homes and large buildings is set as a requirement from the Ontario Building Code ever since 2006. Determined there are the best materials to use and the finest insulation practices. As a homeowner, you don’t need a legal framework to tell you that home insulation is a requirement. There might be many reasons why you haven’t yet insulated your living space but none of them can make you neglect the facts mentioned above that home insulation is a necessity. Think it this way. Every moment that passes without insulation applied to your home or workspace you are losing money. As mentioned above, an insulation system’s main purpose is to improve energy efficiency leading to lower energy bills and higher quality living spaces. 

Tracking the best insulation method

To improve energy efficiency the best insulation method needs to be applied for your home or business area. As a homeowner, you can choose the one that fits your home insulation needs at the lowest cost. With that being said below you will see a comparison of three of the most commonly used insulation methods. 

➔ Spray Foam Insulation

Spray Foam insulation is one of the best insulation practices on the market. It is the installation method that applies polyurethane foam directly on the wall which gives air pockets 0 chances to remain unsealed after installation is completed. It offers a relatively high R-Value and guarantees lifetime durability.

➔ Batt Insulation

Batt insulation is a widely used method among professionals of the field. It is loved by many insulation crews due to its easy appliance in any part of the house. If proper materials are installed conveniently you will receive the desired balance between cost and performance. 

➔ Cellulose Insulation

Cellulose insulation can be a great choice if you are looking to improve energy efficiency of your living or working space. This method meets the R-Value requirements and guarantees to fulfill the home insulation needs. If maintained throughout the years, these insulation systems can endure for decades.

Comparison table

As you can see the wide insulation marketplace has something to offer to everyone. Keep in mind that the better the insulation method is the more it will endure throughout the years and the higher energy efficiency will be. 

FAQs about Home Insulation & Energy Efficiency 

➔ Where can I apply the insulation?

To improve energy efficiency, insulation can be applied anywhere in houses and business environments. Temperature fluctuations are more likely to significantly drop if you use continuous insulation throughout the house. These fluctuations have the potential to damage the items stored in the garage and increase your energy bills. In this case, a good insulation system would be the solution.

• Attic
• Interior walls
• Garage
• Garage door
• Basement
• Ceilings and floor

➔ How much does Insulation cost?

As you may presume the Insulation cost changes from one insulation method to another. Batt insulation for example is cheaper than Spray Foam and Cellulose Insulation but expect in return to get a lower R-Value and less heat prevention capacity if compared with other mentioned insulation methods. Another factor influencing the insulation cost is the size of the perimeter that needs to be insulated. Reasonably, a smaller perimeter requires fewer materials and labor time to be insulated, which directly affects the insulation cost. To determine the exact insulation cost for your home (Spray Foam Mode) just click the link above.

➔ What are some easy practices to improve energy efficiency in my home?

• Switch your light bulbs to LEDs
• Use smart power strips
• Unplug unused electronics
• Use natural light as much as possible
• Reduce water consumption

Insulation systems – A worthwhile investment

Home insulation is like having money in the bank – an everlasting side hustle asset that works for you. We all have heating and cooling systems in our houses and we all know the shock they cause on the utility bill at the end of the month. Especially if the HVAC systems need to cover large areas. Their efficiency depends on how well your walls and attic are going to be insulated. Considering that an insulated area uses less energy for cooling or heating, the energy bills will follow the same rhythm. From a well-insulated perimeter, you can expect a reduction of energy bills by %30 up to %40.  And you don’t have to worry about the initial investment as it will eventually pay for itself throughout the years. There is no determined payback period though, as it changes from home to home. A strong factor that highly influences the payback time is how well the insulation system will be installed. This is something that only qualified insulation crews can successfully complete. 

Other key factors influencing the insulation payback time are:

• Type of the materials being used
• The chosen insulation method
• Size of the perimeter needing to be insulated
• Amount of insulation material 

In conclusion, energy consumption is an essential component highly influencing the development of the human lifestyle. The use of energy has many benefits, but we are also experiencing day after day the negative impacts of the highly increasing use of energy. Climate change, degradation of local environments, and noise pollution are only some of the first nature warnings to act differently prior to crossing the point–of–no–return. This is why to improve energy efficiency is the only option remaining on the table. Insulation systems stay along with other practices such as LED lights, Solar Panels, and efficient HVAC systems to help improve energy efficiency of homes and commercial buildings. By using the proper insulation, you don’t only help to save the environment but also save money on energy bills. It really is a win-win situation for homeowners and the planet too.

Why Ecostar?

EcoStar’s insulation crew is determined to bring to homeowners the first-rate quality products and the highest standard of expertise. Our professionalism and experience goal is that you never have to worry about anything less than thorough and complete workmanship. Our dedicated team will guide you from the consultation to the execution stage. Contact us to receive a free estimate.