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How Insulation Affects HVAC Efficiency

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How Insulation Affects HVAC EfficiencyHVAC efficiency depends upon more than just the make and model of your air conditioner or furnace. Insulation is one of the factors that can make or break both optimum energy efficiency and consistent comfort in your house.

 

Insulation For All Seasons

 

Heat energy is always in motion from a warmer zone into a cooler zone. Proper insulation effectively inhibits both heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter and supports maximum HVAC efficiency. The most cost-effective location for household insulation is usually the attic. Here’s why:

  • Solar heat radiating through the roof overheats the attic in summer, causing rooms below to become hotter, too. A bed of fiberglass or cellulose insulation in the attic floor effectively inhibits heat radiation through the ceiling and reduces the cooling load on your air conditioner.
  • In winter, heat from the furnace naturally rises in living spaces, radiating up through the ceiling into the colder attic. Proper insulation in the attic floor resists heat transfer through the ceiling and keeps heating costs lower.

How Insulation Pays Off

By reducing the effect of heat gain and heat loss, insulation boosts HVAC efficiency, maximizes performance of your air conditioner or furnace and helps control cooling/heating costs.

  • Shorter cooling cycles means the A/C compressor—often the largest single electricity consumer in a typical house—runs less and monthly electricity costs are reduced.
  • Gas-fired furnaces also use less fuel to keep the house warm as insulation reduces heat loss into the attic.
  • Manufacturer’s efficiency ratings are more accurate. Both the SEER efficiency rating for air conditioners and the AFUE rating for gas-fired furnaces are helpful factors in predicting the operating costs of a particular unit. The reliability of these efficiency calculations assumes that proper insulation is installed in the house.
  • Components of efficient HVAC units receive less wear and tear. System service life is extended due to shorter cycles and repairs are less frequent.

For more about the link between proper insulation and improved HVAC efficiency, ask the professionals at Powers Heating & Air.

 

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 770-487-2040. 

Thinking Of Adding Insulation? The Attic Is A Cost-Effective Place To Start

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Thinking Of Adding Insulation? The Attic Is A Cost-Effective Place To StartIf your home is too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer, it’s a good time to inspect your insulation. Adding insulation to your attic is a good place to start, is a fairly easy process and can save you money quickly on your utility bills. There are many types of insulation on the market, but there are certain kinds that are better for attics, especially in an existing home, than others.

All insulation has an insulation rating — an R-value — that provides a measurement of resistance to heat flow based upon the material used, its density and its thickness. A higher R-value equals more resistance, but any insulation’s R-value can be adversely affected by improper installation. No matter if you are building a new home or adding insulation to an existing home, there are a few steps to take before adding the insulation to prevent leaks and make sure the new insulation is as effective as possible.

  • Check for water stains and repair boards or roof shingles.
  • Use caulking and canister foam to seal around ducts, soffits, attic doors, bulkheads, chimneys and exhaust fans.
  • Install metal flashing around lights, exhaust fans, flues and chimneys.

For existing homes, loose fill (wool, cellulose, fiberglass), sprayed foam (usually Polyurethane) and foamed-in-place are the three types of insulation most often used for attics because they can be inserted easily into any type of attic or crawl space. Your choice will depend upon your budget; closed cell foam is more expensive than open cell, for instance. All three of these require professional installation.

Adding insulation to a new home design is much simpler and there are many more choices available.

Adding insulation is a great way to improve your home’s comfort while simultaneously saving energy and lowering utility bills. In the Peachtree City area, contact Powers Heating & Air to learn about the choices available. Powers has a reputation for reliable, dependable and professional service.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about adding insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Powers Heating & Air serves Peachtree, GA and the surrounding areas.  Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

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