How to Improve Your Home Insulation in 4 Ways

Saving money and energy is high on a lot of people’s priority lists. Thankfully, with good home insulation, you can do both at the same time. However, insulation in your roof, walls, and floors won’t go all the way in driving down your energy usage and associated costs. If you’re serious about maximising your energy and cost-efficiency, there are some simple things you can do. 

Here’s all you need to know about what home insulation is, why it’s important and how to improve it. 

What Is Insulation? 

Insulation is material that is installed in a home to prevent heat transfer. While some Australians might believe it to be obsolete in a warm climate, home insulation is essential anywhere. You see, it doesn’t just keep heat in but helps to regulate overall temperature. 

Often installed in the roof, walls, and sometimes the floors, insulation can be made from a variety of materials. These include mineral wool, cellulose, and polyurethane. However, foil insulation is generally considered the best type of home insulation in warm and sunny countries like Australia.

Why Is Home Insulation Important? 

There are lots of reasons why home insulation is important. For starters, insulation helps to keep houses cool during warm weather and warm when it’s cold out. It does this by preventing the outdoor environment from impacting indoor conditions. So, it goes a long way in keeping people comfortable at home, regardless of the temperature outside. 

Plus, since insulation regulates temperature, it also plays a significant role in improving the energy efficiency of people’s homes. You see, when rooms are properly insulated, there is far less need for air conditioning units or radiators. That isn’t just good for the environment; it’s also great news for your wallet. 

With effective insulation, you could reduce your energy bills by between 20% and 50%. However, to maximise the savings you make, there are several things you’ll need to do first. In other words, you’ll have to improve any existing home insulation to make the most of its energy-saving benefits. 

4 Ways to Improve Your Existing Home Insulation 

There are pricier approaches to improving your home energy insulation as well as more cost-effective methods. Depending on your budget and current energy consumption, you may select the more budget-friendly approach. In the long term, though, it’s definitely worth making bigger changes to your roof and windows. 

Dry Fixed Roofing 

While dry fixed roofing is a new concept in Australia, it is a well-established method of roof installation in Europe. And it’s not hard to see how it got so popular. It entails installing a ridge at the top of a roof to allow air to pass underneath its tiles. This creates a cooling system that helps to reduce heat transfer in the rooms below. 

Easy to install, low-maintenance, and long-lasting, dry fixed roofing is a perfect home insulation companion for homeowners looking to save on their bills. While it may cost more to install, it’s worth the money for the energy savings you’ll make over the years. After all, there’s a reason it was awarded the HIA Australian GreenSmart award in 2018. 

Efficient Windows 

Did you know that around 40% of your home’s heat is lost and 87% of it gained through the windows? As such, poor quality windows have the potential to contribute significantly to high heating and cooling bills. 

Thankfully, double and triple glazing are here to help. Double and triple-glazed windows contain either two or three sheets of glass with small, vacuum-sealed gaps between them. These gaps act as a sort of insulation that is particularly good at keeping homes warm in the winter. However, they are still beneficial in warmer climates, as long as they are properly shaded. 

Gardening 

If there’s one thing you didn’t expect to see on this list, it was probably gardening. But it is very much possible to bolster your insulation from the outside by tending to your garden. It’s also a much cheaper method than installing a new roof or set of windows. 

By tactically planting bushes and trees around your home, you help to protect it from strong winds and sun rays. Placing foliage between harsh sunlight and your double or triple glazed windows is particularly important. In doing so, you allow the windows to regulate temperature without causing them to trap excess heat in the house. 

Draught-Proofing 

Another cost-effective method for savvy savers hoping to reduce their energy bills is draught-proofing. To draught-proof your home, all you need to do is plug any gaps that let the outside air in. There are several different ways of doing this, such as DIY draught-proofing and professional draught-proofing. 

You can draught-proof many different areas of your home. These include, but are not limited to, the windows, doors, skirting boards, extractor fans, and chimneys. Each will require slightly different materials and methods. So, ensure you do your research before diving in. 

Improving Your Home Insulation in 4 Easy Steps 

Even if your home is already well insulated, it’s worth improving on your existing insulation. Not only will this help you reduce your carbon footprint, but it will also save you money. It’s relatively easy to do cheaply, too. All you have to do is draught-proof the inside of your house or plant bushes and trees outside it. 

However, if you plan on cutting right down on your energy consumption, you’ll need to take bigger steps. Double and triple glazing your windows can make a huge difference to heat transfer in the home. Similarly, dry fixed roofing is taking off across Australia precisely because of its temperature regulating abilities.