In the age of climate change, global warming, and the mounting cost of living, an energy efficient house is becoming more of a necessity. Making sure your house has the right insulation is one way to comply with standards of energy efficiency for the home. Learning about installing basement insulation is one small step in the right direction. Significant savings in terms of energy use as well as in monthly bills can be achieved.
A basement is that part of a house that is located below ground. It is usually made out of concrete. Concrete is a material without any insulating properties. This is why installing basement insulation is important. Significant heat loss is averted with the right basement insulation. During the cold months, heat is kept inside the house. Insulation also works vice versa such that in hot spells, cooling costs may be kept to a minimum.
In order to grasp and appreciate concepts and procedures, a glossary of terms is hereby compiled for a quick course in the interconnections between installing basement insulation and saving planet earth:
Climate change is the significant transformation of the earth’s atmosphere, temperature, precipitation levels, storm patterns, and sea levels. The patterns of change have been measured in past, recent, and future times.
Global warming is the recent phenomenon of an increase in the earth’s average temperature. The cause is said to be human activity within the past century. Levels are supposed to rise further if such harmful activity remains unchecked.
Energy efficiency is a significant way to address the problem of global warming. The parallel problems of fossil fuel depletion, the oil crisis, and greenhouse gas emission will also be addressed with proper and efficient energy use. Individually, we can help in this area through such simple and practical things as proper home insulation, using the right light bulbs, installing skylights, and opting for renewable energy resources such as solar and wind power.
Home insulation is yet another method that builders use in the pursuit of the perfect human dwelling. Insulation means keeping off the elements, whether it be the heat, the cold, or any unwanted noise. There is also something called fire insulation and impact insulation. Insulation materials are substances that are installed in the walls, floors, and ceilings of buildings and residential homes for the purposes mentioned above. A list of materials would include SPF or spray polyurethane foam, structural insulated panels, rigid panels, fiberglass batts, cotton batts, fiberglass blankets, loose fill insulation, radiant barriers, and reflective insulation.
Basement insulation is one of the most important things to consider in the pursuit of an energy efficient home. Here in the basement is where heat loss is most likely to happen. Here also is where we are least likely to find out about problems such as drafts, leaks, and seepages until the problem is almost too big to handle. Albeit crucial, the basement is usually a much overlooked space. Nowadays, basement insulation is part of a list whenever an energy efficiency check is conducted in a home. It is up there together with attic, walls, floors, and crawlspaces.