Every homeowner wants to save as much as possible (it’s no fun watching your energy bills on the rise). Insulation is a practical way to go about this, but a question many people ask is “how much can insulation save me?” Is re-insulating worth it? What kind of savings can you see?
Although exact estimates are difficult to make because so many factors are in play, there are some tools online that can help you figure out approximately how much you can save by insulating your home.
Calculating Savings
You can visit CIMA (Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association) online to calculate insulation savings. You can measure the financial impact of increasing your insulation performance by entering your data into the insulation calculator—the size of your house, the cost of your energy, etc. With the calculator, you can see what you would be saving this year and in the future!
Here’s another home energy saver tool. It calculates all your energy bills using your current rates and personal information, such as where you live, the number of your household members, what year your home was built, whether you have a basement or not, the type of HVAC system you have, etc. After filling in your data, you’ll get back your current yearly energy costs and how much you can potentially save with upgrades.
Tips for Maximizing Insulation Savings
There are some things you can do to make sure you get the most out of your insulation. We recommend:
- Talking to a reputable insulation company: DIY insulation projects are not recommended. It’s best to talk to insulation professionals, who can ensure you not only are using the right material but that you’re also getting the right amount of insulation and insulating the appropriate areas of your home to gain the most energy savings.
- Properly air sealing your home: Air sealing and insulation go hand in hand. A home that is properly insulated but not air sealed isn’t energy-efficient. Air leaks reduce the effectiveness of your insulation, so your home really needs to be both insulated and sealed. Energy audits are a great way to tell where your home needs to be both insulated and sealed for the highest energy efficiency.
- Making sure other areas of your home aren’t hindering your energy efficiency efforts: You won’t be saving as much money as you could if your home is insulated but isn’t energy-efficient in other ways. For example, if your windows are old and leaky, you leave your fireplace flue damper open when not in use, your home still has energy-inefficient incandescent bulbs instead of CFL bulbs, etc., there is a lot of potential for savings. There are a lot of ways to save energy (and money)—and combined with bigger ticket items like insulation and window replacement, they can help gain significant annual energy savings.
Get Your Insulation Project Estimate!
So the question, “How much does insulation save?” doesn’t have a quick, one-solution-fits-all answer—it depends on many factors (where you live, the age of your home, etc.). But it’s easy enough to find out with online tools. Talking to a professional insulation company is the best course of action!
If you live in Tacoma or a surrounding area in Washington, make Pacific Partners Insulation South your first call! We’ve installed insulation for many homes and businesses and look forward to helping you too. Contact us for a free estimate, or call us at 253-267-8669!
