Insulating

There are many kinds of insulation, but they all serve the same basic function: restricting the flow of heat. During the winter, insulation helps to keep heated air inside your home, so you're more comfortable. In warmer months, it ensures that heat stays outside where it belongs, so you're cooler inside.

It's important that your home be properly sealed before you insulate. By sealing openings and cracks in your home's "envelope", such as gaps around plumbing and wiring entering your attic and crawlspace, you prevent unwanted air from leaking in. If you insulate without sealing, you'll continue to contend with cold air leaking into your house in the winter, and hot, humid air finding its way indoors during the summer.

In addition, it's not always cost-effective to add more insulation to the insulation you already have. Each situation is different, and it depends on what type and amount of insulation is already in place, and whether the area is well-sealed. Typically, adding more insulation doesn't provide enough energy settings to offset the cost. That's why it's important to have your home audited by a trained professional who can determine whether more insulation is worth the cost.