If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know we’ve talked a lot about how and why foam insulation is way ahead of the pack when it comes to keeping your home cozy and warm in the winter, and comfortably cool in the summer. We’ve even talked about some of its other surprising benefits, including soundproofing, creating a vapor barrier, and even improving the structural rigidity of your home. But these aren’t its only benefits. Foam insulation can save you a lot of green, too! Sure, it might be a little pricier upfront to install than, say, fiberglass. But within a few years (or sometimes even a few months) you’ll easily make that money back—and over the life of your home, the savings can be tremendous. Here are some important ways that foam insulation can save you money.
The logic is simple and straightforward. When you have good insulation, heat transfer between your home and the outside world is drastically reduced. And this has a double positive effect on your heating and cooling:
Not long ago, we had a former customer tell us they’re saving 40 percent per month on winter heating costs for their 1940s farmhouse that we retrofitted with spray foam insulation. While not everyone will necessarily achieve the same results, the difference can be quite dramatic—and 30 to 50 percent is not at all uncommon.
Spray foam has several other important virtues that may not show up in your month-to-month bills, but can spare you from having to make a major expense down the road—oftentimes in ways that may not be obvious. One of the big ways is that closed cell foam insulation makes an excellent vapor barrier and blocks out water, condensation and air infiltration. That means you’re much less likely to develop mold or mildew in your home—which are not only expensive to eliminate, but also pose major health risks for you and your family. Spray foam also holds up better over time than alternatives like fiberglass batting, which tends to sag and succumb to gravity over the years. So you likely won’t have to replace it every 10-20 years (or at all). And spray foam is a great deterrent against pests and insects as well—another potentially expensive problem. Another thing to consider? Spray foam greatly reduces or eliminates air infiltration, which means fewer allergens, pollutants, and dust particles get in your home. When you add that to the vapor and pest-resistant qualities we’ve already mentioned, it’s clear that a foam-insulated home is a healthier home. That could even be reflected in lower medical costs for your family!
Quick question: All other things being equal, which would you rather buy?
That’s a pretty sizable difference! Like we said above, a 40 percent reduction in energy costs adds up fast. And that can make a difference when it’s time to sell your home, too. The quality of a home’s insulation, and the monthly heating and cooling costs, are one of the first questions that savvy homebuyers are going to ask about any property they’re interested in. For both economic and environmental reasons, many new buyers put energy efficiency near the top of their wish list. Being able to say that you’ve got high-quality spray foam insulation in the attic and throughout the house can generate more interest in your home and drive higher offers, regardless of what an appraiser might think. So, the choice is clear. If you want to increase your comfort and save yourself some money in the long run, it’s time to give RetroFoam of Southwest Michigan a call! We carry a variety of spray foam insulation products to meet your needs, and can even retrofit existing homes quickly and easily, with great results! To request your free estimate, give us a call today at (269) 751-2000.