Proper Insulation Will Keep You Comfortable and Save Money

The public has finally received a break from high oil and fuel prices, but those prices have started to slowly creep up again. The past has shown that energy cost will continue to rise in the future and Americans have very little control over the price of foreign energy suppliers. Other than using less energy, making homes less than comfortable, the only solution is to build a better home. What if the home has already been built, though?

While retrofitting and upgrading a home's energy efficiency can be expensive, the cost is nowhere near dumping more and more money into the hands of the oil or electric company to heat and cool one's home. Improving a home's efficiency is the best option and investment. What are a homeowner's options? The answer is it depends.

If a home's energy is provided by the electric company then solar panels would be a smart investment. What about those homes, and there are millions, that depend on oil or gas to heat? Upgrading the insulation in the attic is key to improving comfort and expense. Why the attic and what type of insulation is best? Two good questions.

Just like people lose most of their body heat through their head, homes lose the heat through the attic. While covering a house with a large blanket or hat would be unrealistic and silly, lining the attic floor or rafters with a blanket would be practical. Traditional batting or fiberglass insulation won't really help that much. This type of insulation is like wearing just a knitted sweater on a cold and windy day. There are holes in each of these layers that just slow the cold air moving through.

There are a plethora of insulation types available on the market, but none are as easy and effective as a radiant barrier. A thermal or radiant barrier is needed to reflect the home's warmth back down into the home and prevent the cold from descending through. Much like covering over an apple pie with aluminum foil to keep it warm, radiant barriers line the attic floor keeping the living quarters warm.

Spray foam insulation is also another option. There are advantages and disadvantages to spray foam insulation. This expanding foam helps to fill nooks and crannies that traditional fiberglass insulation or even blown insulation can't help with. A problem that can arise is that because the foam does expand, should foam ooze in between joists and the ceiling, separation may occur creating a new problem.

Whichever method is used to ensure comfortable living quarters, a professional is highly recommended. These companies know which method would be best for your home and can guarantee their work ensuring many warm and pleasant years to come. With the money saved on heating and cooling the home the homeowner gets the last laugh instead of the energy companies.

For more information and guidance about energy efficiency and radiant barriers such as Temper Shield, visit http://www.utilityimprovements.com. Utility Improvements specializes in exceptionally effective thermal radiant barriers and demonstrates how they work via videos on their Website.