There's Still Time to Install Insulation in Peterborough Before Winter
November 22, 2018
Winter is on its way – it always comes – and it’s always cold. In Peterborough, and in the surrounding communities, it pays to have proper home insulation. You’ll stop those uncomfortable drafts, the cold floors, and the senseless utility bills. Now is the time to get ahead of it all and check if you’re under-insulated. At Great Northern Insulation, we can install your home insulation in Peterborough before winter hits full force.
Home Energy Efficiency is More than Just Insulation in Your Peterborough Home
The bottom line throughout the winter is to keep your home warm and comfortable. With the right upgrades and retrofits, you can make a big difference in enhancing home comfort and reducing heating bills.
Find the Right Energy Upgrade for Your House This Winter
Attic Insulation
Attic insulation is one of the best lines of defense for keeping a house warm throughout winter. In terms of priority, attic insulation is one of the more cost-effective upgrades, allowing for improved energy efficiency and reduced heating bills. In addition, summer cooling costs are also reduced.
Plus, attic insulation and air sealing helps with protecting your roof from ice damming. When attic insulation is underperforming, or your roof is really leaky, ice deposits collect around the edge of your roof. This “ice damming” is a sign that your attic insulation requires either upgrading or reinstallation.
Air Sealing
Optimum energy efficiency relies on an airtight “building envelope”. As such, air leakage is important to address along with insulation. A blower door test will determine the extent of air leakage in your home, and will identify the upgrades and retrofits that will provide the best return-on-investment. An air tightness test with a Registered Energy Advisor also opens you up to rebates through Union Gas and Enbridge Gas.
Weatherization
Effective weatherization will keep your home warm throughout the winter. At minimum, weatherizing the windows and doors will dramatically reduce air drafts and air leakage. This will decrease energy waste and therefore decrease energy consumption. Fewer air drafts also provide enhanced comfort.
Insulation Removal
When insulation removal (and reinstallation) is recommended, a professional and comprehensive approach is a must. Removal of old material must be safe. Repairs and retrofits must be expedited to address specific problems. Then, the new insulation product must be installed according to building codes.
Basement and Crawlspace Insulation
The basement and/or crawlspace of a home is unique (usually below grade), so it’s important to effectively insulate and lower the potential for moisture buildup. Insulating and reducing moisture in a basement helps to ensure increased energy efficiency. This means installing an air barrier and vapour barrier along with the insulation.
Installing Home Insulation: Discover the Best Type for Your Home
If you’re about to install home insulation in Peterborough, there are a number of options to consider, depending on the issues that need to be resolved and the physical needs of the home. Product choice and installation will also depend on your project budget, as well as any rebate programs available.
Spray foam Insulation
Spray foam insulation is a high-performance product, ideal for basements, attics, and exterior walls. Spray foam is a multi-purpose application - it seals a space airtight; it provides high R-Values; it acts as a vapour barrier; and it adds structural strength. Professionally installed, spray foam will dramatically improve home energy efficiency and will provide measurable energy savings for many years to come. While spray foam insulation can be considered a premium product, nothing compares with its performance.
Blown In Insulation
With blown in insulation, you can choose from a cellulose or fiberglass product (depending on the application). Both products have similar attributes, satisfactory R-Values, and effective long-term performance. Ideal for the attic/roof cavity and exterior walls, blown-in insulation is a straightforward installation that offers homeowners an affordable and cost effective option for home insulation. For a complete and comprehensive job, an air barrier and vapour barrier are required with the insulation.
Mineral Wool Insulation
Mineral wool insulation has exceptional thermal properties and long-term stability. In addition to providing effective insulation, mineral wool also combats noise and reduces fire risk. Mineral wool is made of renewable resources, while offering homeowners a very cost-effective installation. The finished application will deliver substantial cost savings due to enhanced energy efficiency. In a typical residential home, mineral wool insulation is ideal for loft spaces, attic cavities, and external walls.
Fibreglass Batt Insulation
Fibreglass batts are a very common insulation product, most often installed in attics and wall cavities. Available in standard sizes that are easily installed, fibreglass batts are non-combustible and do not retain moisture. Furthermore, batts are a sound absorbent material and act to reduce noise pollution. Along with an effective air barrier and vapour barrier, fibreglass batt insulation provides excellent thermal insulation. For optimum results, professionals often install spray foam and fibreglass batts in tandem.
Some Tips for Winterizing and Insulation in Peterborough
If you’re installing home insulation in Peterborough this winter, you should be considering other winterizing improvements to enhance your home. Although insulation is top-of-mind for most homeowners, there are a good many retrofits that can be undertaken when addressing home energy efficiency. In fact, every improvement can make a difference and therefore save on energy usage.
Stopping Air Leakage
Air sealing the attic and basement is one of the most effective upgrades that a homeowner can make. A home that is properly air-sealed will stop air leakage, and thus prevent heat from escaping throughout the winter. This obviously averts energy waste and reduces utility costs.
A home that is poorly sealed (attic, walls, and basement) will suffer seriously from heat loss during the winter. Heat loss is simply a waste of energy. When you undertake air-sealing retrofits, you can make a difference in stopping heat loss, particularly since heat rises and escapes through the attic space.
Windows and Doors
Upgrading your windows and doors will make a huge difference in improving home energy efficiency. Often with a bigger budget, windows and doors represent an excellent return-on-investment, with long-term benefits. At the very minimum, sealing and weatherizing windows and doors is a must. Great Northern Insulation also offers window insulation as an inexpensive alternative to window replacement.
Insulating the Attic
When the integrity of attic insulation is in question, there are a number of improvements and upgrades required. Whatever insulation product is being “topped up” or completely re-installed, its important to install an effective air barrier and vapour barrier at the same time. Anything short is doing a half-job.
Exterior Wall Retrofit
In many residential homes, the exterior walls can be insulated for improved energy efficiency. Retrofit “drill-and-fill” is a system for insulating existing walls that have already been finished. With little damage and little intrusion, loose fill insulation is used to fill exterior walls and enhance R-Value.
Great Northern Insulation Installs Home Insulation in Peterborough
If you’re serious about installing home insulation in Peterborough this winter, you can rely on Great Northern Insulation to recommend the products and installations that best suit your needs. We’ll show you how a quality approach makes a big difference in energy efficiency and cost savings.
In Peterborough, contact GNI at 1-800-265-1914 and arrange for a FREE no obligation in-home energy assessment. We’ll recommend improvements and retrofits designed to improve your home’s energy efficiency and reduce summer and winter utilities.
