Especially in summer months, it’s important to have your air conditioner working efficiently to keep yourself, your family, or your employees cool when the temperatures are rising. Insulation is a huge piece of this that keeps your air conditioning running smoothly while keeping your home or building cool and comfortable. Although we know this is an important factor, it can often be overlooked by homeowners or business owners as a way to keep cool in the summer. All Year Cooling knows that having proper insulation can also help you keep utility bills at bay and avoid rising costs due to the air conditioner working in overdrive.
What Exactly is Proper Insulation?
Proper insulation essentially means having the right insulation and the right amount of insulation, in the right places. The combination of all of these allows the insulation to do its job and allows your air conditioning to run efficiently. When you have proper insulation, it allows for your AC to run efficiently while reducing energy transfer and keeping the utility bill at bay. Depending on the size of the home or building and the air conditioning unit, there are many different types of insulation, and may vary on how much insulation needed to cool the area. The insulation also must be placed in proper areas such as the walls, flooring, attic, and roof areas.
Types of Insulation
The type of insulation that you need may vary heavily based on the size of the area and how strong your air conditioning unit is. Here is a look at some of the most common insulation types that are used:
Blanket Insulation
This is one of the more common types of insulation used, and the common materials that are used within this are fiberglass, natural or plastic fibers, and mineral wool. This type is usually placed in unfinished walls, foundation walls, floors, and ceilings.
Foam Board or Rigid Board
This type of insulation is usually made with materials such as polystyrene, polyisocyanurate, polyurethane, or phenolic. This is often used in unfinished walls, floors, ceilings, and even low-sloped roofs. It is a high-insulation material for being a pretty thin insulation material.
Concrete Block Insulation
This is often a foam board that is placed on the outside of the wall of new construction homes or inside the wall for existing homes. It’s used most often in walls of new construction homes or homes going through major renovations, as well as unfinished walls like foundation walls.
Loose Fill and Blown In
This particular insulation type is with materials such as cellulose, mineral wool, or fiberglass. It’s used in enclosed existing walls or new wall cavities, unfinished attic floors, and other harder-to-reach areas. It’s blown into place using special equipment.
Reflective System
This insulation type is a foil-faced kraft paper, paper fil, polyethylene bubbles, or cardboard. It’s also used in unfinished walls, ceilings, and even flooring.
Fiber Insulation
This type of insulation is made with mineral wool or fiberglass, and it’s often used in ducts of unconditioned spaces or other places that require insulation that is good at withstanding high temperatures.
How Does Proper Insulation Help Air Conditioning Efficiency?
As we’ve mentioned, proper insulation can significantly help with air conditioning efficiency. This is because it helps to act as a thermal barrier, which helps to keep heat out of the home and keeps the cool air inside the home. Having proper insulation allows for your AC units to take a breather and not have to work as hard, as there is less heat in the home to cool. This means that your air conditioning may run less or not have to work in overdrive to cool your home to the desired temperature. It also keeps the cool air in better, which keeps your home cooler for longer.
Your air conditioning will perform much better with insulation because it won’t have to work as hard to reach and maintain the temperature. This also allows it to work with much less energy consumption, which can lower utility bills. With proper insulation, you can expect to have increased temperature comfort within the area as there will be a consistent indoor temperature and a reduced need to adjust the thermostat.
Signs You Need to Upgrade Your Insulation
There are several signs that you may want to upgrade your insulation in your home or business. These signs could signify that your air conditioning is running heavily, and that you may want to upgrade your insulation to ensure that your air conditioning is running efficiently. Here are some signs that you may need to upgrade your insulation:
- High Utility Bills: If you are experiencing higher utility bills than they are expected, with consistent usage patterns, this could be a sign that your insulation is not efficient and it’s causing heat to come in or cool air to escape, which causes an increase in the amount of air conditioning energy used.
- Drafts: If you are feeling drafts near windows, doors, or even outlets, this could indicate air leaks that are from poor insulation. These air leaks can allow the cool air to escape and hot air to enter the home.
- Uneven Temperatures: If your home or business is feeling excessively hot or cold, then this could be a sign of poor insulation. For example, if one room feels excessively hot or cold compared to the rest of the home, then this could mean insulation in specific areas needs to be assessed and upgraded.
AC Efficiency With Proper Insulation
If you have had any of the common symptoms of needing an upgraded insulation or first-time insulation, it’s time to make the change. Experience a more comfortable and consistent feeling at home or in business. Not having proper insulation can make a huge difference in how the area feels and how high your energy bill is. With this in mind, it’s important to have insulation that is properly installed, with the right material, and in the right areas for maximum efficiency.
All Year Cooling is a reliable business that has been around for decades and is here to help you get your utility bills down and ensure that you are comfortable in your home. Keeping your home cool, especially in the Florida heat, is essential. Proper insulation is a huge asset to this and can be a major piece of why your home isn’t keeping in cool air or heat. Skipping out on proper insulation could cost you hundreds, so take the leap and get your home insulation upgraded with All Year Cooling. Contact us today.