Oklahoma residents have seen their fair share of snow, ice and cold temperatures this winter. The season called to mind the importance of being prepared for storms and respecting nature’s fury. Most of all, it’s probably taught you the value of your home’s insulation.While insulation falls into the category of “out of sight, out of mind,” it remains absolutely necessary for maintaining a warm, comfortable home. Not only that, energy efficiency increases with proper insulation, which directly impacts your heating and cooling bills. With the right amount and the proper installation of insulation, you can potentially save about 20 percent on your total heating and cooling utility bills.To get the maximum efficiency and comfort, you have to have the right kind and the right amounts of insulation. Insulation is rated according to “R-Value,” which indicates how well the insulation restricts the flow of heat from inside your home to the outside. Higher R-values mean that insulation has a greater ability to restrict the flow of heat.The majority of Oklahoma residents live in zone 3 for R-value, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. In this zone, homeowners should use different types of R-value insulation for various areas of an existing home:
Attic, uninsulated: R30-R60
Attic with existing insulation: R25-R38
Floors: R19-R25
Walls: R5
Most homes should have insulation in the following areas:
Unfinished attics
Exterior walls
Floors that are directly situated above (unheated) garages and crawl spaces
Spaces surrounding all windows and doors.
To figure out how much insulation your home needs, you should first determine how much existing insulation you have. Use this equation:(Thickness in inches) x (R-value in one inch) = Insulation’s R-value TotalNow, you can calculate how much insulation you need to add, using this equation:(R-value recommended for your zone) – (existing R-value Total) = The amount of R-value you need to add.If you’re unsure about your home’s insulation, the professionals at Air Assurance are happy to assess your home’s insulation and offer recommendations for improvement. Now is the time to prepare for next winter.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.