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Tip 22 - Insulate |
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If only 10,000 natural gas customers insulated their attics, 50 million fewer pounds of CO2 would be released in the air each year. If the homes were heated electrically, the savings would be 140 million pounds a year. |
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ENERGY FACTS- Insulation traps small pockets of air as buffers between warm and cold zones inside and outside the house, as clothes keep you warm by trapping a layer of air between you and your shirt or sweater.
- Insulation can employ a number of different materials -- cellulose (shredded newspapers, a great way to recycle), fiberglass or rigid plastic foams of various sorts.
- Insulation is measured by its R value, its resistance to heat flow. If you double the R value, you reduce heat loss by half.
- According to The Sunset Home Energy Book, about 60 percent of the energy you use to heat your home in winter escapes through the areas that can be insulated -- the walls, ceiling and floor.
- Attic insulation, the most important, can save 20 percent to 35 percent in heating costs and up to 15 percent of air conditioning costs.
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STAY DRY- When insulation is wet, it loses most of its insulating value, much like wet clothes.
- If water vapor seeps into the insulation, chances are it will condense and soak the insulation.
- So it's important to install a vapor barrier on the inside face of insulation to keep warm, moist air in the house from seeping into the insulation and dampening it. It also will protect the wood in walls or attic from dampness and rotting.
- Install proper venting in attics and crawl spaces. This also prevents moisture from becoming trapped in the insulation.
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SIMPLE WAYS TO SAVE ENERGYDetermine if your home is insulated.- Look between joists in the attic, the area most likely to be insulated. Make sure the insulation is dry and that it's spread evenly through the attic. Measure its thickness. City Light customers can get help identifying insulation by calling 206-684-3800.
- To check for insulation in walls, turn off the power to an electric outlet in an outside wall. Remove the switch plate and shine a flashlight into the opening to see if there is anything besides air between the studs. Also, touch the wall to check if the surface is cold on a cold evening.
- Check the basement. The insulation might be installed between the floor joists or draped down the foundation walls.
How much is enough?- In the Puget Sound area, the Department of Energy recommends 12 to 16 inches of insulation in attics, six to 10 inches in floors and four to six inches in walls.
If you're ready to insulate - Attics and basements are easiest and are within comfortable reach of the do-it-yourselfer. Wear gloves and a respirator for safety's sake.
- Remember to vent your attic and crawl space.
- Insulating walls in existing homes involves drilling holes between each set of studs and blowing in insulation, a job for an experienced contractor. It's often best left until it's time to repaint the building.
- Never compress batts of insulation. It's the air spaces in the insulation that keep you warm. Compressing them means less air and less insulating value.
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