November is often a busy month, bringing with it a change of weather and a change of focus. Be sure your fall exterior maintenance is complete and that your home is weather-tight—you’ll be grateful to have taken these steps now when lower energy costs kick in during the winter. And if you were among the affected by one of the Hurricane’s, be sure to promptly deal with any flooded areas of your home. Dampness promotes moisture-related issues from mold and mildew to rot and decay, so do everything you can to dry out wet basements.
INSULATE THE ATTIC
The most important area in your home to insulate is your attic floor. This fully insulated “buffer zone” will not only help keep heat where you want it but will also keep the lid on your energy costs.
The basic principle of good insulation is that you want to keep heat energy from doing what it does best—escaping. The goal is to trap a layer of unmoving air next to the heat source, which in this case is your heated home. In new framing, sprayed-on polyurethane foam, fiberglass, or cellulose insulation products—all do a good job of trapping air in the wall cavity. If you’re retrofitting, you can have insulation blown in or lay batts between floor joists to achieve the recommended R-values for your area.
The R-value of insulation is the measure of its resistance to heat flow. The higher the value the more effective it is.
Wize Home Direct also has the exclusive Copperflect, a copper barrier that can dramatically reduce heat loss in the winter and actually keeps radiant heat from the sun out in the summer.
Enjoy your family and friends this Thanksgiving, and let us know if we can help you warm up your home for the holidays 828-212-0580.