Home Insulation: A Simple Way to Improve Comfort and Energy Efficiency
How an often overlooked part of your home, the insulation, can make a significant difference in everyday comfort, energy use and long-term costs.
Have you ever been so hot that you just wanted to swim in a pool full of ice? That’s how the city often feels in the summer! We are approaching the end of the summer and it is a good time to talk about something that can improve the energy efficiency of your home for heating and cooling, while doing good for the planet and reducing costs!
When I first moved to L.A. I thought it was always nice and sunny here, but I never thought about those few weeks in the year where it gets really hot in the summer and so cold in the winter. Okay, around 40 degrees above zero, but still.
Every summer, a few weeks of the year feel warmer than the previous year, and rolling power blackouts in parts of California are becoming more common. With so many people working and schooling from home, it can get quite chaotic! So, what do we do about this? So many things come to my mind, but today I want to focus on interior environment and temperature control.
Specifically, house insulation.
I know it may not sound that sexy, but proper insulation is so important and easily forgotten because it is hidden within the walls and roof assemblies or attic.
Insulation is any material that prevents heat (or noise) from traveling from one place to another. All materials have some degree of insulation capabilities, but there are some that are very good insulators and with the correct physical characteristics to be used as layering.
There are different types of insulation, and different materials for each type. The selection depends on the application and the goals. Air is a great insulator, therefore most insulation materials contain tiny air pockets.
Some types of insulation:
Colder climates require greater amounts of insulation in the building enclosure to
conserve energy. A 2x4 wood stud wall with glass fiber Batt insulation
(R-13 to R-15) may be adequate for buildings in the south of the United States
of America and Hawaii but other parts of the country would require higher values
that can be obtained with 2 x6 walls filled with thicker insulation,
or adding rigid or semi-rigid insulation boards on one side of the 2x4 wall.
(Note: Consult your local building code for mandatory R values)
Insulation is classified by its R-value. R measures how effective the thermal resistance of the material is. The higher the R-value, the better thermal resistance. An assembly with high resistance will have less heat traveling from one side of the wall (exterior) to the other (interior).
In temperate climates, proper insulation can help regulate the interior temperature, lowering the need to turn on the thermostat. In the same way, when the outdoor temperature is more extreme, proper insulation helps the heat or air conditioning system to perform more efficiently, reducing energy consumption, and cost! By now you can probably see why it is so important to have proper insulation.
In California, the building code has minimum mandatory insulation measures for new construction and renovations. However, many older homes lack proper insulation. A few years ago I met a young couple that were buying their first house. It was a beautiful, spacious single-family ranch-style home built in the 1950s. The interiors had been remodeled a few times but did not have air conditioning, and the heating system was very outdated. It did not take too long for them to start struggling there. The house was usually so much hotter than the exterior in the peak of the summer and the opposite in the winter. After an initial consultation, we determined that the house lacked proper insulation. As a first step of a comprehensive plan, we added insulation in the attic. This approach, combined with some other passive measures, made the house actually comfortable for most of the year.
Thinking about Improving your home?
Every house is different, and there are so many more measures to consider when designing a space that is healthy for the inhabitants and the environment.
Improving comfort and energy efficiency often begins with understanding how your home performs today. Whether you are considering a renovation or planning more extensive changes, thoughtful architectural planning can help you identify opportunities that make a lasting difference.
Explore our architectural services to learn how Unfolding liens can help you plan your next steps.
And before I leave, I want to share with you a fun
and super easy snack recipe for those hot days.
Banana Ice Cream!
So easy, and my son really loves this!
[ picture of banana ice cream ]
You just need ripe frozen bananas.
Put them in the blender until
getting a nice creamy consistency.
It tastes great plain, but you can
also experiment and add nutella,
peanut butter, strawberries, cocoa powder, etc?
Have you tried this?
Make some and tag me on
instagram @unfoldinglines.architecture
Thank you for your support and comments! They help me write value content for you. Please keep them coming! And don’t forget to share this with your friends!
Gracias!
Citlalli
" I call architecture frozen music"
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
References:
-Edward Allen, Joseph Iano; Fundamental of building
Construction, materials and methods; Wiley; USA; Sixth edition, P.276
Citlalli is an architect and a mom who enjoys
finding the extraordinary around us and
understanding what makes each person thrive.
She believes that art, and good design should
be accessible, and her motivation is to help build
a better world for the next generations.
She has worked on residential and commercial
projects for over 20 years, and is the principal architect at Unfolding Lines Architecture in Los Angeles, California, aimed to thoughtful planning, flexible architectural services and client guidance.
Comments