Technology Tuesdays: Plain Old Insulation

Hello Partners!

For more than two years we have been bringing you Technology Tuesdays. We have talked about a wealth of different topics and explored many brand-new technologies breaking into the marketplace. Today, I would like to talk about an older topic that frequently gets overlooked although it is one of the most effective items out there at saving money and energy.

What kind of miracle product is this you ask? Plain old insulation.

See, I told you it wasn’t anything new!

It may be that insulation has been around for such a long period of time people take it for granted that insulation is both present in a building and that it is up to code. This is not always the case.

Plain old insulation comes in many different forms. For example, there is ceiling or attic insulation, wall insulation, and pipe insulation, to name a few.

Attic and wall insulation keep cold air inside in the summertime and outside in the wintertime. In your average residential home, if you could consolidate all of the tiny nooks, holes, leaks, and slight gaps it would be the equivalent to leaving a window open every day. This is significant when considering a residential home; imagine the air leakage in your typical office building.

According to the building code, title 24, there is a mandatory minimum r-value of insulation that must be present. If you don’t know what is existing in your facility or when was the last time it was checked, it is very likely time to do an assessment. Attic and wall insulation have other benefits besides saving money and energy. A properly insulated facility can also reduce outside noise, reduce allergens, and allow for better humidity control.

Pipe insulation is key to create a radiant barrier for hot water pipes. In fact, insulated pipes can deliver water 2°F to 4°F hotter than uninsulated pipes which can allow the building operator to reduce the temperature setting. A reduction in temperature setting equals a reduction in energy usage!

Plain old insulation seems so obvious, but you would be surprised by how much it gets overlooked. Don’t miss out on opportunities to save by checking the r-value of your insulation every couple of years, your energy bill will thank you.

The savings never stop!

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Sources:
https://www.energystar.gov/campaign/seal_insulate/why_seal_and_insulate
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/weatherize/insulation
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/services/do-it-yourself-energy-savings-projects/savings-project-insulate-hot-water-pipes