Cold home? 🥶
Thinking about upgrading your home insulation but don’t know where to begin? Understanding the stack effect and how it relates to home performance is the best way to get control of your home climate.
As we heat our home hot air rises and draws in cold air from weak spots in the lower levels. Think of how a chimney works. If your attic is poorly insulated heat will easily escape causing a constant heating of your home.
To stop this cycle, start with the attic. All penetrations such as electric outlets, chases, top plates etc should be sealed with caulk or foam. Baffle vents should be installed at all open soffits and are folded down to block air flow across attic floor. R49 Insulation should then be installed evenly across full attic space including access hatch. After the attic has been addressed the basement or any crawl spaces are next.
In most cases the home is framed on top of a foundation. Where this foundation meets the framing is known as the rim joist. This a notoriously weak spot for cold air to enter home and create cold floors. This area can be sealed with 2 part expanding foam or foam board cut to size and sealed with gun foam.
Once these areas have been properly sealed and insulated your home should be significantly warmer in the winter. Exterior wall insulation could then be considered but most likely won’t be necessary and might be better upgraded timed with a siding replacement and other options are possible then cavity insulation.
