R the heating costs for your Silicon Valley Home rising through-the-roof?
How does your ‘R' measure up?
The R-Value in your Silicon Valley Home measures how well insulation retains heat inside your home. "R" relates to resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-Value - the more resistant to heat flow. When a Silicon Valley Home has a high or adequate R-Value - heat is retained in the Silicon Valley Home. Simply stated, adequate insulation prevents heat from rising through the roof!
Up to an estimated 45% of a home's energy loss occurs through the attic/roof. Source: The Department of Energy.
It is expected that heating costs may rise up to 15% this winter. The R-Value in your Silicon Valley Home can save you money. Consider the R-Value being as important as your FICO score. A small investment in insulation can equate to huge savings on your energy bill.
An easy way to determine the R-Value in the attic of your Silicon Valley Home is to measure the thickness of the existing insulation and multiply the number by three. If the existing insulation is 4 inches thick - the R-Value is 12.
If the recommended R-Value is 32 and your home currently has 12, then adding insulation with an R-Value of 20 would raise the R-Value insulation in your home and that would help cut heating costs.
The most common do-it-yourself home improvement type insulation is batt or blanket which are made of non-combustible fiberglass. Blankets are continuous rolls of insulation and batts are pre-cut strips - which can be stapled or pressed into place. Of course, insulation can also be stuffed, blown or poured. Consult with a local supplier and discuss which insulation option would be most appropriate for your Silicon Valley Home.
You will discover that once you insulate the attic space in your home - you will be so pleased with the energy savings that you will undoubtedly want to add insulation in other areas of your home as well. Consider adding insulation to ceilings with unheated spaces, floors above vented crawl spaces, and floors over unheated garages and porches.
When you adequately insulate your home you will automatically insulate your money which would otherwise be spent on the high cost of heating bills.
Clearly R-Value recommendations vary based upon the location of a home. If you want to learn more about the recommended R-Value for your Silicon Valley Home, then visit the U.S. Department of Energy's website - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy where you will find valuable information and tools like a zip code insulation calculator!
Kathleen Daniels ~ Broker Realtor and certified REO Specialist
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