Energy Costs? - What Energy Costs?

An energy smart rating on a property is suddenly a big attraction. Recently the energy efficiency of a home has become a more important factor to prospective home buyers. Certainly if you can show an energy efficiency report with a five star rating it will carry more weight than it used to.

The two main heating fuels - oil and gas - have risen so much in price, that suddenly many home owners are wondering about their insulation. If your home is also in the commute belt, then the price of the gas needed to get into town will be added into the cost of buying your home. Streamlining the insulation in your home before it goes on the market, would certainly be an asset.

Some states offer grants or incentives to help reduce the U.S. energy consumption, even if they don't, you will still reap the financial benefit of improvements.

The major amount of heat loss can be through the roof, as hot air rises....and rises. Insulation in your attic will stop the hot air rising out of your house and keep it inside your home. Climb into your attic (or look) and check for depth of insulation.

Insulation is measured in 'R - value', standing for 'resistance to heat flow'. The average insulation used to be R-8 or R-12, but R-30 will do an even better job of keeping both the winter warmth in and the summer heat out.

However, each area has its own recommended requirement according to the climate, and your local DIY will be able to advise you. (For instance if you live in the upper northern tiers of North America, an R-38 is recommend for attic insulation.)

The key to understanding fiberglass is that the higher the number, the thicker the fiberglass. For instance, the R-13 is 3.5 inches thick, whereas the R-38 is 12 inches thick. You can also buy insulation with or without vapor barrier.

A barrier stops moisture from migrating into the insulation and condensing. If you choose insulation with a vapor barrier, they are always laid warm-in-winter side of the insulation, e.g. toward the living area.

Fiberglass comes in batts or blankets. The batts may be easier to handle as they are available in manageable pre-cut sizes; the blanket is one continuous roll.

There is another form of attic insulation called radiant or reflecting insulation, which reflects the heat back to you in the winter and the heat away from you in the summer. These look like thick foil sheets which can be laid down fairly easily.

Assuming that your house is not too old, the crawl space, if you have one may need looking at. (If you have an older home you may need to look at blowing in insulation between the exterior wall cavities as well.)

The technology on crawl spaces has changed somewhat, once it was thought that crawl spaces had to be ventilated; now the experts are less sure. The reason is because in damper climes the moist air can enter through the ventilation grills and get stuck there, thus actually causing moisture.

Also it has been noted that drafts blowing though the air vents under the floor can detract from house warmth. The depth of your crawl space may determine the type of insulation you need and which route you wish to follow.

Even if you are not planning to list your home, take 'before' and 'after' photographs as you go along, to prove that the work has been done, in case, one day, you do chose to move.