What Areas Should You Insulate Before Winter?

St Louis - St Charles Insulation Company.

In St Louis & St Charles, Missouri, Proper Insulation Makes For A Comfortable Home in Winter

Winter is on its way sooner than you think, and you need to make sure your home is well-equipped to handle the onslaught of cold weather. Having not enough insulation or low-quality insulation in your home can make your home colder than it should be. You may already know the obvious areas that should be insulated, such as attics and walls, but there are other areas you need to insulate to ensure comfort over the winter.

Look to your St Charles, MO insulation contractors to help you assess which areas in your home are lacking. Here are the areas you should be insulating.

Garages

If you use your garage for work and play, and not just storage or cars, it should be insulated. Basic batt insulation is fine for this purpose, as well as garage door insulation.

Pipes

Your pipes are compromised whenever temperatures get below freezing, especially pipes where water gathers. Unprotected plumbing can freeze on cold nights. Expanding ice cracks pipes and then floods homes when it thaws. You can avoid this by insulating your pipes.

Floors

Floors that are open to the exterior air should be insulated so they don’t feel cold underfoot. This is often the case with upper-level expansions or uninsulated foundations.

Attic

Because heat rises, your attic needs the proper insulation levels, especially empty corners and shallow areas where it’s likely that older insulation did not have a chance to settle sufficiently. If your attic doesn’t have appropriate ventilation, condensation can build up and grow mold.

New Exterior Walls

Your existing exterior walls are probably already insulated, so if you have added new walls from recent renovations, or plan to, make sure they are properly insulated.

Renovated Basements

Moisture barriers and proper insulation are both needed in finished basements.

Upper Roof Trusses

Your roof crawl spaces are probably already insulated, but over time, blown insulation tends to settle at the bottom of roof trusses. Cold air then forces the top of the trusses to start to contract, while the heated bottoms expand. If you hear groaning and creaking noises from your roof, this is a sign you need more insulation. If you don’t address it, you could experience costly structural damage.

Spigots

Just like unprotected pipes can burst, outdoor faucets and spigots are vulnerable to ice expansion. Be sure to frost-proof all outdoor faucets so this doesn’t happen.

Vents and Ductwork

Old vents can welcome cold outside temperatures if you don’t take the proper precautions. Insulate your ductwork and vents to keep warm air inside where it belongs.

Air Leakage Points

Air can easily pass through switches, outlets, and light fixtures, with those gaps and leaks having the capacity to lose large amounts of heat over time. Make sure these areas are sealed to prevent this from happening.

Insulation Experts in St Charles & St. Louis MO

Our St Charles, MO insulation contractors can inspect your home and let you know where you need more insulation. Give us a call in St. Charles or St. Louis at 636-233-7314 to book your appointment this fall, before winter hits.

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