If you’ve lived in Michigan for more than a year or two, you know the weather can be a little … we’ll say temperamental. But even by our standards, this “spring” has been insane. From snow storms to 80+ degrees within just a couple weeks of April? First winter would never end; now summer is here early.
Still, while we would like to have a bit more of a real spring, we’re not complaining too much. It’s great to finally turn off the furnace, open those windows and enjoy some T-shirt weather again!
It also has us thinking about home insulation. What can we say? It’s what we do.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there when it comes to insulation and summer weather. Here are a few of the biggest ones.
Wrong!
Insulation isn’t like a big blanket or coat that keeps everything inside warm. I mean, that analogy sort of applies in wintertime, but it’s the wrong way to think about it.
A thermos would be a better analogy.
What insulation actually
does is block the transfer of heat. In winter, of course, that means all that indoor heat pumped in by your furnace stays in the house and doesn’t get lost into the cold winter.
But in summer, the process works in the opposite direction. The insulation keeps the blazing summer heat from getting through your ceilings and walls and making the inside of your house miserable.
So, while putting on a winter jacket in summer would be daft, installing good insulation in your home will actually keep it colder in the summer.
False!
If you run an air conditioner, good home insulation is critical if you want to prevent all that cool air from escaping your home and dissipating into the sweltering summer haze.
If your home is well insulated, you won’t have to run your AC as hard or as long. You can shut it off earlier, and your house will stay cool for longer before you have to run it again.
It is true that the financial savings of insulation are highest in winter. But even during the summer months, it’s not at all unrealistic to see a decrease of 25% on your energy costs compared to a badly insulated home.
Maybe! But then again, maybe not.
Insulation technology and standards have come a long way in just the last couple of decades. In fact, most of the existing state guidelines
and regulations regarding minimum insulation for new homes have only been enacted within the last 15-20 years.
You can see the problem. Many of us live in homes that are a lot older than that! And if there hasn’t been a relatively recent remodel or replacement of insulation, you could be missing out on a lot of the advantages (both personal comfort and financial savings) that up-to-code insulation can provide.
No sir-ee Bob!
Installing new insulation doesn’t have to break your bank—or your home. We specialize in providing affordable foam installation options for homes of all sizes.
Certain foam products—such as RetroFoam—can even be injected into a wall cavity through a small opening. This makes installation a snap—done in one or two days, with no remodeling or tearing out walls required.
Interested? We provide FREE estimates with no obligation, so you have nothing to lose! Just complete our online contact form, or get in touch at (269) 751-2000
today.