As an HVAC company, we get a lot of questions about testing insulation in homes. This is especially important during the cooler months when keeping in heat is crucial to maintaining comfort and energy efficiency. Fortunately, there are a few ways to test your home’s insulation to make sure it’s doing its job effectively and efficiently. In this blog post, we’ll explain how to test insulation in your Georgia home.
Visually Inspect Your Insulation
The first way to test your home’s insulation is to conduct a visual inspection. Start by checking your attic for any gaps, cracks, holes or damages to the insulation. If there is a lack of insulation, you may need to install more. If you’re having difficulty installing, consider contacting an HVAC professional for help. Additionally, check your walls for damages and gaps. If there is a lack of insulation in the walls, you can install blown-in insulation in the wall cavity.
Infrared Inspection
Another way to test your insulation efficiency is to use an infrared camera. This camera will pick up any hot and cold spots in your home, indicating the effectiveness of your insulation. Run a scan of your home and identify areas that appear to have cold spots, indicating a lack of insulation. Not only will this help you identify problem areas, but it will also give you an idea of how much energy you’re losing. Thanks to Wikipedia for this image.
Professional Energy Audit
To test the quality of your insulation, you can hire an energy audit professional. These professionals use specialized equipment, including a blower door test and thermal imaging, to identify areas of inefficiency in your home. They will be able to determine how much insulation is needed and which areas require the most attention. This type of test will give you a detailed report of your home’s insulation and energy efficiency.
DIY Insulation Test
Another way to test your insulation is to conduct a DIY test by filling a clear plastic bag with ice and placing it on top of your insulation. The idea is that if your insulation is working properly, the ice should remain frozen for a few hours. If your insulation is poor, then the ice will melt quickly due to heat escaping. This is an inexpensive way to test if your insulation is working well, although it may not produce the most accurate results.
Insulation is essential for maintaining comfortable temperatures and reducing energy bills in your Georgia home. As you’ve seen, there are several different ways to test your insulation, ranging from DIY methods to hiring a professional. Each test has its benefits and drawbacks, but performing a combination of these tests should give you a good idea of your home’s insulation quality. If you’re unsure about the efficacy of your insulation system, consider contacting us for an inspection. A professional can identify any problem areas and offer personalized advice for improving your home’s energy efficiency.
