High Efficiency Furnaces Require Efficient Home Insulation

Installing good insulation in your home will save you a lot on heating bills

Many older homes have insulation which is inadequate ( or non at all) for high efficiency heating systems. Before you install a high efficiency furnace this should be corrected with the installation of insulation materials in the walls, roof and in the basement of the house.

Wall Insulation for Existing Construction

The common types of wall wall are of wood-frame or brick construction. To insulate a wood-frame wall, loose fill or foam type insulating material is blown into the inside of the wall using holes drilled through the drywall or through the siding outside. Solid brick construction walls have no cavity for insulation. A new wall has to be built inside the home and insulated during its construction, or board stock and new siding is applied to the exterior of the walls although this is less effective. When planning to retrofit a cavity wall, remember:

Costs For Building A New Wall Are High.

Air and vapour barriers are necessary. Interior drywall is an effective air and vapour barrier when it is painted. Insulation is applied to fill the cavity without settling. Foam insulation may also be used and is an air barrier itself.

Attic Insulation

Insulating the attic is always cost-effective. Usually loose fill is blown between and over ceiling joists or fibreglass batts may be laid on top of the existing insulation material (if any).

Basement Insulation

Basement walls handle moisture from both inside and outside the house. The most effective insulation technique, is to cover walls outside with rigid insulation material which is rated for below grade use, you can for example use extruded polystyrene or rigid fibreglass material for this purpose.

The advantages of this are:

Very good for damp-proofing walls and for draining foundations. Rigid fibreglass or mineral wool insulating materials may be used as a drainage conduits to keep water away from the house foundation.

The basement walls remain at inside house temperature, which cuts down on condensation.

Disadvantages are high costs and having to cover the insulation above grade.

Interior insulation can be used with batt insulation between studs, or with extruded polystyrene and strapping on walls. The advantages are lower costs and easy application. The disadvantages are:

Damp air moving through the wall from inside will condense on the cold surface of the wall outside. Interior insulation should not be used when moisture problems are present in a basement.

Is Insulation Cost Effective?

There is no doubt good insulation saves you money on your heating cost, and reduces energy usage, while in addition making the home comfortable for occupants.

For added information on high efficiency furnaces take a look at our website: high efficiency furnaces

High Efficiency Insulation