Air sealing and insulation in your home are both important. They can help improve comfort and energy efficiency. Air sealing and insulation can also work together to get the maximum benefits. This blog will go through the comparison of air sealing and insulation for your home: Air Sealing vs Insulation for Your Home
How Air Sealing Works With Insulation
Air sealing is the process of reducing air infiltration in a home. It’s often used as an alternative to insulation because it can be done much more quickly and with less expense than adding more insulation, and it also has many benefits that can help improve comfort, indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and the performance of HVAC systems. Air sealing works by adding weather-stripping around doors and windows to keep them from leaking conditioned air. You may also seal gaps between slabs or foundations with rubberized spray foam that expands into the space between the building materials. These simple changes reduce energy use greatly, which means you will save money on your utility bills every month.
What is the Difference?
Insulation is a material used to seal your home from the elements. It can be in the form of fiberglass, cellulose, or spray foam insulation. Air sealing is a method of sealing your home from air leaks. Air will leak into an un-sealed home through areas such as doors, windows, vents, and molding around these openings. Air leaks are considered one of the top five reasons for increased energy bills in a home because they create drafts that waste energy and cause uncomfortable drafts throughout your house. A well-sealed house can reduce its heating and cooling costs by up to 30 percent each year!
The Importance of Properly Installed Air Sealing Systems
You may not think of your home as an ecosystem, but it is one. Your HVAC system and air ducts are the lungs of your home, taking in fresh air from the outside and filtering out dust and allergens before returning them to you. Properly installed sealing systems keep this process working efficiently, keeping your family safe from pollutants while helping you save money on heating bills during cold weather months.
Air Sealing and Insulation Installed together
To reduce costs and improve a home’s efficiency, air sealing should be installed right on top of the insulation. Air sealing works in conjunction with insulation to help keep heat inside your home during winter. But it also helps prevent wind from entering your home through cracks or holes in the structure, which allows for better control over indoor temperature. This can save you money and energy (not to mention make it easier for you to maintain a comfortable temperature year-round).
However, air sealing is not something DIYers should attempt on their own—it requires specialized equipment and training that few people have access to. If you want the best results possible when making improvements to your home’s energy efficiency, hiring an experienced contractor who knows how to properly install air sealing will almost always be more cost-effective than trying it yourself!
Century Insulation in Corcoran, Minnesota, can be the company for you. We are your local insulation contractor who can help with air sealing your home or insulating your home. Contact us today and we can help make your home comfortable for the summer month that is coming.