Save Big: 6 Tips For Insulating Your Home

It may still be cold outside but spring is just around the corner and now is the perfect time to think about energy efficiency before summer heats up. Properly insulating your home can mean big savings during extreme weather temperatures. Proper insulation means that the cold will stay in when it’s hot outside and the heat will stay in when it’s cold outside.

Our energy efficiency experts rounded up the six things you must know when it comes to insulating your home so you can save the most money:

1. Insulation Basics
   Insulation is your primary defense against heat loss. Over time, insulation can settle and become less effective, which means money out the window when it comes to your utility bill. Adding needed insulation is one of the most cost-effective ways to make your home more efficient!
2. Where to Insulate
   Insulation should be between any area that separates a heated space from an unheated space. This includes all exterior walls, attics, floors over unheated areas (like a crawl space), heated basement walls and overhangs. In other words, the insulation should completely surround your home’s living spaces.
3. R-Value… What’s That?
   R-value tells you how well a material resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the resistance. R-values per inch vary with different types of materials, therefore, how good insulation performs is more accurately measured by its R-value, than by inches of thickness.

   Recommended R-Values for a Springfield home heated with natural gas:
   Ceiling: R-38
   Walls: R-13
   Floors: R-19
   Crawlspace walls: R-13

4. Cash Back From CU
   As many know, we offer a variety of rebates for efficiency upgrades around your home and insulation upgrades are no different. CU residential electric or natural gas customers may qualify for a 20% rebate, up to $300, off the total cost of insulation upgrades. You can view more details about this rebate and submit your application online.
5. Choosing the Right Contractor
   Lastly, choosing the right contractor for the job is very important. We have a list of contractors who meet basic consumer protection criteria. We always recommend selecting two or three different contractors to bid on your project before making your final selection.

Now’s the time to tackle money-saving projects like this so if you have questions, please give us a call at 417-863-9000.