Energy Saving Tips
Insulation and
Sealing Air Leaks
Energy Saving Tips:
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Checking your home's
insulation is one of the
fastest and most
cost-efficient ways to
use a wholehouse
approach to reduce
energy waste and make
the most of your energy
dollars. A good
insulating system
includes a combination
of products and
construction techniques
that protect a home from
outside temperatures�hot
and cold, protect it
against air leaks, and
control moisture. You
can increase the comfort
of your home while
reducing your heating
and cooling needs by up
to 10% by investing in
proper insulation and
sealing air leaks.
Should I Insulate My
Home?
The answer is probably
"yes" if you:
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Have an older home
and haven't added
insulation. Only 20%
of homes built
before 1980 are well
insulated.
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Are uncomfortably
cold in the winter
or hot in the
summer�adding
insulation creates a
more uniform
temperature and
increases comfort.
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Build a new home,
addition, or install
new siding or
roofing.
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Pay high energy
bills.
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Are bothered by
noise from
outside�insulation
muffles sound.
First, check the
insulation in your
attic, ceilings,
exterior and basement
walls, floors, and crawl
spaces to see if it
meets the levels
recommended for your
area. Insulation is
measured in R-values�the
higher the R-value, the
better your walls and
roof will resist the
transfer of heat. DOE
recommends ranges of
R-values based on local
heating and cooling
costs and climate
conditions in different
areas of the nation.
State and local codes in
some parts of the
country may require
lower R-values than the
DOE recommendations,
which are based on cost
effectiveness. For more
customized insulation
recommendations, check
out the Zip Code
Insulation Calculator,
which lists the most
economic insulation
levels for your new or
existing home based on
your zip code and other
basic information about
your home.
Although insulation can
be made from a variety
of materials, it usually
comes in four types;
each type has different
characteristics.
Rolls and batts�or
blankets�are flexible
products made from
mineral fibers, such as
fiberglass and rock
wool. They are available
in widths suited to
standard spacings of
wall studs and attic or
floor joists: 2x4 walls
can hold R-13 or R-15
batts; 2x6 walls can
have R-19 or R-21
products.
Loose-fill
insulation�usually made
of fiberglass, rock
wool, or cellulose�comes
in shreds, granules, or
nodules. These small
particles should be
blown into spaces using
special pneumatic
equipment. The blown-in
material conforms
readily to building
cavities and attics.
Therefore, loose-fill
insulation is well
suited for places where
it is difficult to
install other types of
insulation.
Rigid foam
insulation�foam
insulation typically is
more expensive than
fiber insulation. But
it's very effective in
buildings with space
limitations and where
higher R-values are
needed. Foam insulation
R-values range from R-4
to R-6.5 per inch of
thickness (2.54 cm),
which is up to 2 times
greater than most other
insulating materials of
the same thickness.
Foam-in-place
insulation�can be blown
into walls and reduces
air leakage.
Insulation Tips
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Consider factors
such as your
climate, building
design, and budget
when selecting
insulation R-values
for your home.
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Use higher density
insulation, such as
rigid foam boards,
in cathedral
ceilings and on
exterior walls.
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Ventilation plays a
large role in
providing moisture
control and reducing
summer cooling
bills. Attic vents
can be installed
along the entire
ceiling cavity to
help ensure proper
airflow from the
soffit to the attic
to make a home more
comfortable and
energy efficient.
Check with a
qualified
contractor.
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Recessed light
fixtures can be a
major source of heat
loss, but you need
to be careful how
close you place
insulation next to a
fixture unless it is
marked IC�designed
for direct
insulation contact.
Check your local
building codes for
recommendations. See
Lighting for more
about recessed cans.
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As specified on the
product packaging,
follow the product
instructions on
installation and
wear the proper
protective gear when
installing
insulation.
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Long-Term Savings
Tip:
One of the most
cost-effective ways
to make your home
more comfortable
year-round is to add
insulation to your
attic.
Adding insulation to the
attic is relatively easy
and very cost effective.
To find out if you have
enough attic insulation,
measure the thickness of
the insulation. If it is
less than R-22 (7 inches
of fiber glass or rock
wool or 6 inches of
cellulose), you could
probably benefit by
adding more. Most U.S.
homes should have
between R-22 and R-49
insulation in the attic.
If your attic has enough
insulation and your home
still feels drafty and
cold in the winter or
too warm in the summer,
chances are you need to
add insulation to the
exterior walls as well.
This is a more expensive
measure that usually
requires a contractor,
but it may be worth the
cost if you live in a
very hot or cold
climate.
You may also need to add
insulation to your crawl
space. Either the walls
or the floor above the
crawl space should be
insulated.
New Construction
For new construction or
home additions, R-11 to
R-28 insulation is
recommended for exterior
walls depending on
location (see map
below). To meet this
recommendation, most
homes and additions
constructed with 2 in. x
4 in. walls require a
combination of wall
cavity insulation, such
as batts and insulating
sheathing or rigid foam
boards. If you live in
an area with an
insulation
recommendation that is
greater than R-20, you
may want to consider
building with 2 in. x 6
in. framing instead of 2
in. x 4 in. framing to
allow room for thicker
wall cavity
insulation�R-19 to R-21.
Today, new products are
on the market that
provide both insulation
and structural support
and should be considered
for new home
construction or
additions. Structural
insulated panels, known
as SIPS, and masonry
products like insulating
concrete forms are among
these. Some homebuilders
are even using an old
technique borrowed from
the pioneers, building
walls using straw bales.
Radiant barriers (in hot
climates), reflective
insulation, and
foundation insulation
should all be considered
for new home
construction. Check with
your contractor for more
information about these
options.
Warm air leaking into
your home during the
summer and out of your
home during the winter
can waste a lot of your
energy dollars. One of
the quickest
dollar-saving tasks you
can do is caulk, seal,
and weatherstrip all
seams, cracks, and
openings to the outside.
You can save as much as
10% on your heating and
cooling bill by reducing
the air leaks in your
home.
Tips for Sealing Air
Leaks
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First, test your
home for air
tightness. On a
windy day, hold a
lit incense stick
next to your
windows, doors,
electrical boxes,
plumbing fixtures,
electrical outlets,
ceiling fixtures,
attic hatches, and
other locations
where there is a
possible air path to
the outside. If the
smoke stream travels
horizontally, you
have located an air
leak that may need
caulking, sealing,
or weatherstripping.
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Caulk and
weatherstrip doors
and windows that
leak air.
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Caulk and seal air
leaks where
plumbing, ducting,
or electrical wiring
penetrates through
exterior walls,
floors, ceilings,
and soffits over
cabinets.
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Install rubber
gaskets behind
outlet and switch
plates on exterior
walls.
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Look for dirty spots
in your insulation,
which often indicate
holes where air
leaks into and out
of your house. You
can seal the holes
by stapling sheets
of plastic over the
holes and caulking
the edges of the
plastic.
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Install storm
windows over
single-pane windows
or replace them with
doublepane windows.
See Windows for more
information.
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When the fireplace
is not in use, keep
the flue damper
tightly closed. A
chimney is designed
specifically for
smoke to escape, so
until you close it,
warm air escapes�24
hours a day!
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For new
construction, reduce
exterior wall leaks
by either installing
house wrap, taping
the joints of
exterior sheathing,
or comprehensively
caulking and sealing
the exterior walls.
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