Insulation

What:

Insulation reduces heat flow in your home, ensuring comfort during extreme summer and winter temperatures. There are many types of insulation, ranging from fiberglass, rock wool, rigid form boards, and sleek foils. The most common type of insulation is fiber glass. If you reside in the City of Alameda and your home was built prior to 1978, your home was not built with wall insulation. Keep this in mind when pursuing a project.  When insulating your home it is best to seek professional help.  

Benefits:

• Comfort: Reducing heat flow in your home will make your home home more comfortable. Your home will be cooler during summer and warmer during winter. 
• Money: In the short term, insulation will help you save up to 15% on heating and cooling costs. In the long term, new insulation will add value to your home. 

Where to begin: 

• Review the air sealing page. It is essential to air seal your home prior to insulating it. If you do not properly air seal your home, the effects of any insulation will be rendered useless. 
• Consider the timing, ease, and cost: Insulation is both a time extensive and difficult. There are a variety of factors to consider when adding insulation to your home. In terms of timing, it is best to change fix your insulation prior to the hotter summer months or before the peak of winter. In terms of ease, you would want to install insulation when you are doing another project, (eg. remodeling a room, changing wiring/plumbing etc).

Projects:

Listed below are some key places to insulate your home. Each of these areas are common places where heat enters or escapes your home. 

• Attic 
• Raised Floors
• Ducts 
• Walls
  • Note: If your home was built prior to 1978, your home was not built with wall insulation. Consider adding insulation to your walls.