How Much Insulation Your Home Needs - Tips From Destiny Homes And Help Determining Insulation's R-Value

Insulation Manufactures And Sellers Must Make Insulation Disclosures

Even hardy Minnesotans are noting “it’s cold outside.” It is a time that gets homeowners thinking about proper insulation in their home and how insulation upgrades make for better insulated homes and keep things comfortable. However, it is not easy for homeowners to make heads or tails of advertising claims when buying insulation. That’s where the R-value Rule comes in. That is where working with a trusted Minneapolis home builder pays off.

Insulation Manufactures And Sellers Must Make Insulation Disclosures

The Twin Cities has a wealth of older homes and historic mansions, many were built before modern energy codes were implemented. Homeowners are renovating their homes and seeking guidance to learn how much insulation their home needs.

A new federal Trade Commission rule requires insulation manufacturers and sellers to disclose the performance of their products, based on uniform testing procedures. This gives home builders and home owners better benchmarks for comparison shopping. Today there is news about the government’s first litigated case involving deceptive claims for insulation — and the largest ever insulation R-value Rule civil penalty. Going with a reputable Minneapolis home builder grants homeowners another "insulation" from being misled.

Homeowners Know How Much Insulation Is Needed After Knowing How Much Exists

The Minnesota Home Energy Guide walks homeowners through a process of checking current insulation levels. To determine if you need more insulation, you must first find out how much insulation you have. You can figure out your present R-value by noting the type and amount of insulation you have. Butch Sprenger, owner of Destiny Homes is available to walk through your home with you and help access your assess your home's needs.

One way to do this is to take a good look at open exposed areas. You will want to see if you have insulation (and how much) in these key locations – the basement walls, exterior walls, floors above cold spaces, and ceilings below cold spaces. Unfinished areas in a home are easier to see exactly what type of insulation was used earlier and for access to measure its thickness.

Get behind closed walls by removing a switchplate, a piece of window or door trim, or by drilling holes into outer walls. Be sure to turn off the power before removing a switchplate cover. A bent coat hanger or probe ill allow easy ability to hunt inside the wall around the electric outlet box. While it may be difficult to get an opening large enough to make an accurate check, it still give a lead idea.

Better yet, a more accurate check can be made by drilling holes directly into an outer wall in a closet or cupboard or other hidden area. Cut a 1- or 1-1/2-inch hole. homeowners can immediately determine whether there is any insulation at all. Or if so, how much. Afterwards, these 'inspection holes' should be filled and finished, and give a touch-up paint job.

Insulation Comes In Different Types As Well As Ratings

Blanket batts and rolls - This is the fluffy sort that most homeowners are familiar with. Usually it is made of fiberglass, natural and plastic fibers, or mineral wool. It is best suited for standard stud and joist spacing that is relatively free from obstructions. Relatively inexpensive.

  Concrete block insulation - Foam board, to be placed on outside of wall (usually new construction) or inside of wall (existing homes)

  Liquid coatings - which are applied to surfaces with a roller or paint brush. installation of most types of liquid foam insulation requires special equipment and certification and should be done by experienced installers.

  Sprayed foam - Great for getting into existing enclosed walls when applied using small spray containers or in larger quantities as a pressure sprayed product.

  Loose fill - Good for adding insulation to existing finished areas like attics, irregularly shaped areas that are otherwise hard to reach, and around obstructions.

  Foil radiant barriers / radiant barriers - These are long sheets that can be applied in attics. Most effective at preventing downward heat flow, effectiveness depends on spacing.

Insulation Capabilities Must Be Marketed Fairly,

In a recent ruling by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Florida-based Edward Sumpolec is being fined for making insulation claims were eye-catching: “Saves 40 to 60% on your energy bills,” but had no substantiating proof. A federal court calling him a" home insulation marketer" is ordering him to pay a $350,000 civil penalty for making deceptive and unsubstantiated claims . On the Federal Trade Commission’s behalf, the U.S. Department of Justice won the order on the merits of the case without a trial. The $350,000 figure is the largest civil penalty awarded in a home insulation case. Home builders work with homeowner decisions to protect and ensure the advertising claims are truthful and non-deceptive.

Explaining Insulation's R-Value

Insulation's R-value is a measure of its resistance to heat flow: the higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power to protect a home from both cold or heat and maintain the desire temperature inside. "The R-value Rule requires home insulation manufacturers, professional installers, new home sellers, and retailers to provide R-value information, based on the results of standard tests, to help inform consumers," according to the FTC.

Newer Homes are Generally Better Insulated

Minneapolis metro homeowners benefit from the FTC's messages for businesses that manufacture or sell insulation as folks who have learned how to actually enjoy winter sports and the beauty of a pristine white snowfall, everyone values the warmth of a home free of drafts. Not only that, but energy costs make up a hefty part of every household budget. Newer homes are generally better insulted than older homes, but insulation upgrades are a worthy cost per value home improvement to older homes to bring them up to the same level of comfort.

Minnesota Residents Are Willing To Pay For A Better Insulation R-Value

A comfortable home is considered a home that is warm in winter and cool in summer – is a major priority for most homeowners, especially is locations of weather extremes. Minnesota homeowners are willing to pay for it! Heating and cooling account for approximately 60 to 80 percent of the average Minnesota household’s energy costs. Yet in most cases, such high costs are not necessary and they would be ahead in the long run by making needed home improvement gains by investing in better insulation.

Minnesota Residents Are Willing To Pay For A Better Insulation R-Value

Preventing air leaks from coming into your home through its walls and ceiling is essential for insulation to be effective. "One-third to one-half of the home’s heated air in winter (and cooled air in summer) is lost to the outdoors through leaks around doors and windows, pipes and ducts, electric outlets, chimneys, and other openings," according to The Minnesota Home Energy Guide. At other times, depending on wind speed and direction, cold (or heated) air comes in through the same passages. Before you tackle adding insulation as a do-it-yourself project, make sure you are up to knowing all the ins and outs of the task, or simple call Destiny Homes and have your questions ready us as a home builder.  We are experts at getting the job done and done well.

Minnesota Insulation Inspection And Evaluation for Rebate

Minnesota Power offer guidelines and time lines for home insulation inspections. The builder and owner must be present for the insulation walk-through final inspection. An air infiltration analysis (blower door) and infrared thermal scan will be completed to determine the overall air-tightness or infiltration rate of the home, and to check insulation levels and the quality of a home's installation. The home builder must ensure the ventilation system meets minimum air change standards and that adequate makeup air in the home exists to prevent negative pressure.

Call Butch Sprenger, owner of Destiny Homes at 952-934-5706. We would be happy to take at look at your current home insulation status and give you our best recommendation.

Butch and Liz Sprenger, owners of Destiny Homes Remodeling And Renovation Services Home page: www.destiny-homes.com. Service the entire Twin Cites Metro, from our main office in Wayzata, MN working as home Remodeler and owner of Destiny Homes. Call us at 952-934-5706.