Insulation Institute Blog

The Benefits of Insulating Interior Walls

Noise levels are one of the top concerns for home shoppers today, according to Realtor.com. While insulation is one of the best ways to reduce unwanted noise in new homes, building codes mostly require that exterior walls be insulated, and it’s not customary for the interior walls of homes to be insulated. Yet, there are compelling advantages for doing so, as anyone who has ever occupied a room next to a bathroom can tell you. With homeowners spending more time indoors, the need for noise mitigation strategies like interior wall insulation is more evident than ever before. Here are two reasons to insulate interior walls.

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The Benefits of Insulating Interior Walls

Airtightness and Ventilation Can Thwart COVID-19

The infectious disease and HVAC engineering communities have been grappling with the complexities of COVID-19 transmission for the past nine months. Increased HVAC fresh air has the potential to dilute and remove the aerosol droplet particles of COVID-19 that many experts believe is one of the main sources of transmission. Now the building science community is starting to contribute to the discussion. Insulation Institute talks this week with Paul Grahovac, LEED AP, about the ventilation solution to COVID-19.

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Airtightness and Ventilation Can Thwart COVID-19

WalletHub Ranks State Energy Efficiency

Personal finance website WalletHub just published a new report ranking the 48 contiguous states on home energy efficiency. This report comes during a year when American households have seen energy use soar during the pandemic, with many individuals staying home to avoid infection. WalletHub found that on average, U.S households historically spent at least $2,000 per year on utilities, costs that will likely increase for 2020. Some states fare better in terms of energy efficiency than others. Among the top five states in home energy efficiency: Utah, Minnesota, New York, Colorado, and Wisconsin. The five states at the bottom of the list in terms of energy efficiency are Alabama (44), Georgia (45), Tennessee (46), Louisiana (47), and South Carolina (48).

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WalletHub Ranks State Energy Efficiency

October 7 is EEDay2020

Today marks the 5th Annual Energy Efficiency Day (#EEDay2020), established by advocate groups around the United States to highlight the benefits of energy efficiency (for a full list, see here). Hundreds of companies, organizations, utilities, and governments representing tens of millions of people will take part in #EEDay2020 by encouraging Americans to support energy efficiency efforts, which save money, cut pollution, create jobs, and much more. Among the most important activities to undertake to increase energy efficiency is to insulate. Here are three facts about insulation and energy efficiency:

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October 7 is EEDay2020

New Data Shows Strong Appeal of HERS

RESNET announced this week that its analysis of the top 200 U.S. home builders in 2019 shows more builders are constructing HERS homes, and of all homes built by the top 200 builders, 39 percent received a HERS rating last year. Other impressive numbers from the analysis show:

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New Data Shows Strong Appeal of HERS

Incremental Steps to Advanced Framing

As lumber costs skyrocket across the country, driven by strong homebuilding numbers and residential and commercial renovation projects, cost containment measures become more important for home builders. One effective way to reduce lumber use is advanced framing and it comes with the added benefits of optimized energy efficiency and structural integrity. Yet the shift from traditional to advanced framing can be daunting for some because change is hard. Getting started with online training that focuses on incremental shifts in construction practices that are part of advanced framing techniques may ease the learning curve.

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Incremental Steps to Advanced Framing

Rule Your Attic to Begin Sept. 14

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star program is set to conduct its annual “Rule Your Attic” promotional campaign beginning next month. The campaign educates consumers about the importance of air sealing and insulation by encouraging homeowners to measure their attic insulation and add more if needed.

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Rule Your Attic to Begin Sept. 14

Two Really Avoidable Insulation Gaffes

Would it surprise you to learn that among the top 10 reasons cited for a failing a final new residential home inspection is missing insulation in the attic access or floor? Improperly installed insulation is an inconvenient problem that can be fixed relatively easily, but insulation that’s completely missing on a final inspection can cost additional time and money for the builder. There’s a simple solution to avoiding this: a checklist and quality control review before final inspection.

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Two Really Avoidable Insulation Gaffes

Home Energy Efficiency Data Can Sway Buyers

In real estate, the mantra of top sales professionals is “location, location, location.” While location is of course key, a new report from the American Council on an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) provides a proof point that increasingly, home energy efficiency can also drive home buying decisions. ACEEE’s research shows that including home energy efficiency scores online in real estate listings would lead buyers to choose a more energy-efficient home with lower energy costs. Home builders and sellers who don’t leverage this information could be missing a key opportunity to demonstrate their value proposition.

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Home Energy Efficiency Data Can Sway Buyers