House Warming

Tips on How to Save Money and Energy with Home Insulation

It may be summer, but it’s time to start thinking about winter - winterizing your home, that is.

Insulating your home can help keep you warm, save energy and save you on heating costs, especially if you have an older home built under earlier building codes. Here are some tips on how to properly insulate your home to save up to 25% on annual utility costs.

·       Add insulation to every level of your home from the attic to the bottom floor to prevent air leaks.

·       Install a minimum of R-49 insulation in your top floor. The higher the “R-value,” the greater the insulating effectiveness.

·       Seek alternative insulation choices such as blue jeans, cellulose and wool!

·       Check out incentives to insulate, seal and other energy efficiency measures including the installation of solar at bit.ly/efficiencygrants.

How much insulation do you need? The amount of insulation required in a home is based on the Department of Energy and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) climate zone map, which recommends levels of insulation needed for homes located in eight U.S. climate zones.

Source: Prince George’s County Second Nature