Three Practical Tips for Insulating Your Old House

Old houses are rarely properly insulated. Therefore, keeping the interior space at an ideal temperature can be challenging, especially during cold months. In addition, the total energy bills for the home can be high due to the high power consumption by space heating and cooling appliances. Fortunately, there are great insulating products on the modern market. You can improve the thermal protection in your home for optimal comfort and energy efficiency. Here are some practical guidelines for insulating your old home successfully.

Check for Vulnerabilities

You should inspect your home and determine whether you need to improve the insulation. In simple terms, you should check your structure and identify the areas which are poorly insulated. You should begin by assessing your attic. If this section of the home is insulated, you will notice exposed insulation batts or loose fill material. Next, you should look for areas with cold drafts. For example, cool air might be leaking through cracks or sections of the wall with failed insulation. If your entire house is not well insulated, you will need to plan for a complete upgrade.

Deal with Old Insulation

If you want to reinsulate your house, you will need to deal with the old insulating materials in the structure. The right strategy for handling the waste will depend on the type of insulation, your budget and preferences. If the building has harmless materials such as mineral wools, old newspapers or wood shavings as the insulation, you can leave the products in place. The new insulation can be added without their removal. This choice is inexpensive and efficient. If your house has harmful insulating materials such as asbestos, you might need to think about removing and disposing of the old insulation. Unfortunately, this process can be expensive and time consuming. If you would like to minimise the costs, you can stabilise the hazardous materials and then install the new insulating products.

Choose the Right Insulation

There are different types of insulation that you can choose for your old house. It is important to evaluate your options before making the most suitable choice to match your requirements and budget. If you are only interested in enhancing thermal insulation, you should plan on using loose fill insulation. This material is suited for old houses because it does not require invasive work on the existing structure. If you are planning on renovating your house significantly, you can install batts or rigid insulation. However, you should note that these products will necessitate the replacement of the walls.

For more information or assistance, contact a local expert in insulation installation.