Home Insulation in Ontario

June 04, 2020

When it comes to Ontario home insulation, you may have a lot of questions. The purpose of this article is to help you better understand your options for home insulation in Ontario and to answer the questions that are most commonly asked. GNI is invested in helping homeowners make the best upgrades possible for the lowest cost. Our insulation experts will help you navigate your options for Ontario energy rebates to save you even more money on your upgrades. 

If you have any questions about home insulation in Ontario, or about the Ontario energy rebates that are currently available, please enter your contact details into the form included below. Once we have your contact details, our Customer Experience Team can arrange for you to have a free insulation assessment that will help you get started with your home upgrades. 

Does My Ontario Home Need Insulation?

In short, every home in Ontario needs insulation in order to be comfortable and energy efficient. In Ontario, home insulation is extremely important for staying warm through the cold winters and beating the heat during the hot summers. Air sealing also plays an important role in home comfort and energy efficiency, and it works alongside insulation to provide a complete layer of protection between the home’s inhabitants and the weather outside.  

The Advantages of Strong Home Insulation in Ontario

In Ontario, home insulation upgrades are capable of making significant improvements to the entirety of a home - especially when they are combined with stronger air sealing. Here is a quick look at some of the benefits you may see by upgrading your home’s insulation and air sealing:

• Lower utility payments
• Improved home comfort
• Fewer drafts on every floor
• Better temperature consistency between rooms and floors
• Lower household carbon emissions
• Improved home resale value
• HVAC systems do not need to run as often (contributing to lower maintenance fees)
• Improved interior air quality

What Does the R Value of Insulation Mean? 

Insulation R Value is the measure of how well an object or material prevents heat transfer. A material with a higher R Value indicates a stronger resistance to heat transfer than a material with a lower R Value, which makes it more effective as home insulation. However, when the time comes to choose a type of insulation for your upgrades, R Value is not the only factor to consider. 

How do I Know Which Type Of Home Insulation is the Best?

There are several different options for making home insulation upgrades in Ontario. In order to target the most cost-effective upgrades specific to your home, GNI recommends that homeowners have an energy audit done by a Registered Energy Advisor.  

Schedule an Energy Audit of Your Home

An energy audit from a Registered Energy Advisor will provide you with a complete look at the energy performance of your entire home. The advisor who conducts your audit will also rank all of your possible upgrades in terms of their cost-effectiveness. This allows you to choose the upgrade(s) that will provide you with the biggest improvements for the lowest possible cost. An energy audit is also an important part of applying for many of the Ontario energy rebates that are currently available. 

What are My Options for Home Insulation in Ontario? 

Below are three different types of home insulation that Ontario homeowners can use to make upgrades. Although they carry different R Values and insulating characteristics, each type can be effectively used in the majority of home upgrade applications. If you would like to learn more about these types of insulation and how they improve a home, GNI’s Customer Experience Team will be happy to help and can be reached at 1-800-265-1914.  

Fibreglass insulation

Fibreglass insulation and fibreglass batts are an affordable and effective upgrade option for home insulation in Ontario. With exposed wall cavities, fibreglass insulation can be easily applied. When combined with professional air sealing, fibreglass insulation is capable of making great improvements to a home’s level of comfort and energy efficiency. Fibreglass insulation can also be combined with other types of insulation in the same area. This is known as hybrid insulation and can be an extremely effective choice when used in the attic of a home. 

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation is highly valued for its versatility and performance capabilities. It has an extremely high R Value per installed inch and improves home air sealing when professionally installed. Spray foam insulation is often able to be installed where other types of insulation cannot, meaning it is an option to consider for nearly all of your potential home upgrades. 

Blown In Insulation
Blown in insulation is another option for home insulation in Ontario. Using either loose fill cellulose or fibreglass insulation, blown in insulation is a terrific option for insulating walls that are already finished. Through the retrofit drill and fill method of installing blown in insulation, homeowners can make upgrades without having to tear down walls to expose their wall cavities. Instead a small hole is drilled into each wall cavity, allowing for blown in insulation to be installed and completely fill the entire space. After the upgrade is complete, the small holes are easily fillable and the wall can be finished as desired. 

Do I Qualify for Ontario Energy Rebates?

To find out if you qualify for any Ontario energy rebates, we recommend getting in touch with a GNI rebate expert before you start making any upgrades. To qualify for some programs, an energy audit will be required both before you begin making any upgrades, and after they have finished. This not only shows the effectiveness of your upgrades after the fact, but the initial energy audit also provides you with a detailed plan for making cost-effective improvements before you begin. You may be eligible for a rebate to help with the initial costs of the required energy audits. 

For an Ontario home insulation upgrade, Ontario energy rebates can greatly improve affordability. This allows homeowners to make even larger upgrades, which continually saves them even more money through energy savings over.time. To speak with a GNI rebate expert, our Customer Experience Team can be reached toll-free at 1-800-265-1914.