If you're building a new house, you may be surprised at the number of seemingly routine decisions you need to make. While it's exciting to work with an architect to design the layout of your new home, you may find decisions relating to plumbing, HVAC, or insulation somewhat less exciting. However, these choices are anything but mundane, and they can significantly impact your home's costs and value.
You'll usually need to choose between fiberglass, cellulose, and spray foam when insulating your house. These three options each have benefits, but spray foam is often worth considering if it's within your budget. While you probably know that the higher R-value of spray foam can save money on your utility bills, you may not know that it can help your long-term budget in these three other surprising ways.
1. Cheaper HVAC Maintenance and Replacement Costs
A key factor when designing any heating and cooling system is size. In other words, you don't want a system that's too small or too big for your needs. When sizing your ideal heating and cooling system, your HVAC installer will consider numerous factors, including your home's overall insulation values.
The better insulating qualities of spray foam may allow you to choose a smaller furnace or air conditioner, saving you money on purchasing and installation costs. Smaller, more efficient systems may also need less maintenance, keeping your long-term costs down and, ultimately, saving you money when it's time to buy a replacement.
2. Fewer Moisture Issues
An essential quality of spray foam is that it acts as a vapor barrier and a thermal insulator. The vapor protection qualities of spray foam will reduce the likelihood of moisture entering your home, helping to protect you from problems with mold or water damage. Note that spray foam is inorganic, so you never need to worry about mold problems on the insulation itself.
Over the long term, less moisture entering your home can also produce a more comfortable environment. Since there's less humidity indoors, you won't need to turn your air conditioner as high or take costly corrective measures such as installing a whole-home dehumidifier.
3. Less Pest Problems
Traditional insulation doesn't provide a vapor or water barrier in part because it doesn't provide a tight seal. Spray foam forms a much more solid barrier, which can also prevent rodents and other tiny pests from finding their way into your home. If you live in an area where these critters are common, this advantage may save you plenty of money and frustration in the future.
Foam insulation is an excellent all-around choice for new homes. It provides numerous immediate benefits, such as reduced utility costs and a more comfortable interior environment, along with many long-term advantages that you can enjoy for years.
To learn more, contact a foam insulation service near you.
We all need and benefit from construction work. Even if you do not own a home, you benefit from the construction done on the space you rent. You also benefit from the construction work done on road, schools, playgrounds, and government buildings. There's no escaping the importance of construction in our society, and yet, most people know very little about the construction industry if they do not work in the industry themselves. We're going to help change that. Here, we will post articles on all sorts of topics related to construction and contractors. You should leave with a much better understanding of the role this work plays in our society and our world.