When choosing a home improvement project, you want something that can benefit you for years to come. That’s why one of the best home improvement upgrades you can have for your property is home insulation.
Insulation is designed to keep heat in during the cold season and out when it’s the scorching summer months. Because of this, it will be easier for you to maintain a pleasant indoor climate all year round. Insulation also comes in many different types, with some of the most common materials used in homes being the following:
- Fiberglass
- Mineral wool
- Cellulose
- Foam plastics
Moreover, some insulation products are easy to handle, allowing you to install them using DIY methods. If you’re still deciding whether or not insulation is the best upgrade to get for your home, here are 6 more reasons why it is definitely worth the investment:
1. Versatility
Although the attic is the most popular area to insulate in any home due to a large amount of heat transfer occurring therein, insulation can be installed almost anywhere in the house. This is because insulation comes in several different forms, including batts, rolls, boards, loose-fill, and spray foam. Whether you intend to insulate large surfaces or tight spaces between architectural assemblies, there’s an insulation solution for every application. You’ll be able to find basement insulation, floor insulation, wall insulation, and even crawl space insulation products readily available in most home improvement stores.
2. Energy Efficiency
The biggest benefit insulation offers is improving your home’s energy efficiency. Since it helps keep your indoor climate at the perfect temperature year round, you’ll rely on your HVAC system less. When you use your AC and heater less frequently, you can increase your energy savings and reduce your electricity consumption.
To make the most of your insulation, you need to know which type gives you the best R-value. The R-value of an insulation product measures how effective it is at preventing heat transfer. This will depend on several factors like the climate zone you live in and the part of the house that’s being insulated. Typically, when you live in the southern parts of the country, you can get away with insulation that has a lower R-value. However, if you live far up north, getting insulation with a higher R-value is recommended to lock in the heat during winter.
3. Thermal Comfort
When insulation is properly installed, not only will it ensure that the temperature inside your property remains satisfactory, but it will also help improve your home’s air tightness. Insulation mainly deals with conductive heat transfer, but it can also help marginally address convective heat transfer that can occur when conditioned air escapes through gaps and holes on the building envelope, or when unconditioned air does the same. However, to supplement your home’s insulation performance, it’s in your best interest to get it professionally air sealed as well. This is because insulation will not be able to deal with the gaps under doors, between windows, and other such points of ingress and egress for air. Living in a home with excellent thermal comfort levels is better for your health as it will help lower your stress and improve your mood.
4. Structural Integrity
Water in the basement means it may be because of exterior issues; in addition, a wet basement could be a sign of basement leaking. Some homeowners love to do DIY repairs as DIY solutions are simple to complete. But that is not a permanent solution. Basement waterproofing is the best solution here.
One type of insulation that can add rigidity to your walls is polyurethane spray foam insulation. Although this type of insulation comes in spray foam form, it hardens over time. When applied, it expands as it comes in contact with air. As it dries, spray foam insulation hardens into a rigid state. Spray foam insulation is also known to stick to the building’s materials. Thanks to this, it’s able to increase your home’s structural rigidity while providing you with superior thermal comfort.
5. Soundproofing
Installing batt or roll insulation in your walls and ceilings is an effective and affordable way to improve the soundproofing performance of rooms in your home. Because of the insulation materials’ thickness, they’re able to absorb some of the sound that travels through the air pockets between the wall framing. Many major insulation manufacturers sell fiberglass or wool batt insulation that’s designed specifically for this purpose. Some of the most common insulation used to help with soundproofing are 3 1/2-inch thick and have R-value that ranges betweenR11 and R19.
6. Tax Credit
Installing new insulation makes you eligible to receive tax credit. You’re allowed to claim up to 10% of the cost of your installing new insulation makes you eligible to receive tax credit. You’re allowed to claim up to 10% of the cost of your insulation project, although the amount is usually capped at $500, excluding the cost of installation. To simplify this further, you can use an online tax calculator to determine your tax refund with any tax credits you’re eligible for already factored in. Ultimately, installing new insulation can get costly, so it’s helpful to get something in return for making your home more energy efficient.
Getting your tax credit is easy. Make sure to keep your insulation work order so you can show the IRS proof of the new installation work done. When you have all the necessary receipts, just fill out IRS Form 5695 with your annual income taxes. Keep in mind that tax credit for installing new insulation only applies on your principal residence. The percentage of how much you can claim may also change, so it’s best to check the IRS’s insulation tax credit guidelines each year.
Home insulation offers plenty of benefits. From improving your home’s energy efficiency to providing you with superior thermal comfort and making you eligible to receive tax credits, home insulation is definitely a home improvement upgrade that’s worth the time and cost.
