The Surprising Key to Keeping Cool: Insulation

If your air conditioner runs constantly to keep your home cool this summer, the issue might not be the air conditioner. It may be your home’s insulation.

Yes, insulation.

While many associate insulation with keeping homes warm in the winter, it actually pulls double-duty.

Insulation doesn’t create heat. It stops the transfer of it.

In the winter, a well-insulated home will keep the heat generated by your heating system from escaping to the outside. In the summer, the heat from the sun stays outside rather than finding its way indoors.

If your home lacks the proper amount of insulation – many homes in Massachusetts do – it warms up quicker and your cooling system works harder to compensate, resulting in higher energy bills and shortening the lifespan of your equipment. If you have high efficiency cooling equipment, it won’t operate to its full potential if your home isn’t property insulated.

In addition to lacking adequate insulation, many homes also lose energy through air leaks. Here are two stats to consider for the average home:

• The total amount of air leaks in a home is equivalent to a medium-sized window that stays open 24 hours a day
• As much as 30% of conditioned air is lost through ducts that are improperly sealed

An effective solution to improving the efficiency of your cooling system and the comfort of your home is home weatherization improvements, which include the combination of adding insulation and sealing air leaks. The first step toward weatherizing your home is with a no-cost home energy assessment.

By scheduling an assessment, an Energy Specialist will determine how much additional insulation you need and where your home is losing energy as a result of air leaks. The results of your assessment may qualify you for incentives of 75-100% off the cost of insulation upgrades, plus no-cost air sealing.

To learn more about insulation incentives from the Sponsors of Mass Save^®, click here.