A well-insulated home saves energy by keeping heat inside during the winter and outside during the summer. Adding just 1 inch of insulation to an uninsulated wall can reduce heat loss (winter) or heat gain (summer) through that wall by 40-50 percent.

Find out about R-values before you buy your insulation materials. Then buy the thickness of insulation that will give you the R-value you should have. R-values (or R-numbers) refer to the performance of insulation, measuring the resistance over time. The higher the R-number, the more effective the insulation capability. The numbers should appear on packages of all insulation materials: mineral, glass fiber, or rockwool batts or blankets; foam or loose fill materials that are poured or blown into insulation spaces; or rigid board insulation. If the insulation you buy doesn’t have the R-value written on the package, ask the salesperson to write the R-value on your receipt for future reference.

Learn to Save Energy at Home

We can cut our energy use and help control living costs by making our homes energy-efficient, even if we have to spend some money to do it. The money we spend now can help hold down energy costs.

Protecting your home from outside heat and cold
Millions of homes in the United States still are not adequately protected from outside weather, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Here are some tips to make sure yours is not one of them!

Draft-proof windows, doors and other air leaks

• Test your windows and doors for airtightness. Move a lit candle around the frames and sashes of your windows. If the flame dances around, you need caulking and/or weatherstripping.
• Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows. It’s easy to do yourself. Caulking and weatherstripping materials cost about $25 for the average house (12 windows, 2 doors). Savings in annual energy costs could amount to 10 percent or more!

Insulate Your Home!
No matter how you heat or cool your home, you can reduce the load on your heating and cooling equipment by as much as 20 to 30 percent by investing a few hundred dollars in insulation. Insulation is an energy-efficient way to control air movement. By slowing and trapping air, insulation acts as a barrier to keep house temperatures more constant. Reducing the rate of heat flow will also result in lower air conditioning and heating costs. The benefits of insulation -- lower utility costs -- continue for years.

• Insulate your attic floor or top floor ceiling to a minimum of R-26. The attic is the most critical location, since more heat per square foot travels through your ceiling than any other house structure. If you have old insulation in your attic, you probably won’t be able to judge its R-value. But if you have 3 inches or less of old insulation, chances are you need more to bring the insulation level up to the recommended level. Investment costs could range from $100 to $1,000. Heating and cooling savings, however, should range from somewhere around 5 percent (if you are adding to present insulation) to as much as 30 percent (if you have no insulation).
• Find out if your home needs insulation. Your needs will depend on the climate you live in and the amount of insulation that is already present. For guidance, consult with a reputable insulation dealer in your community or with your local building inspector or county agent.
• It is vital that insulation is installed properly. Insulation that is compressed or installed with gaps will not function at its rated efficiency.