How does insulation reduce your carbon footprint?
How Building Insulation Helps Fight Climate Change
Sustainable Investing
Climate change: It’s one of the most pressing issues our world faces. If you read about it, you’ll find all kinds of proposed solutions:
Drive an electric vehicle. Switch to solar energy. Use recyclable bags, not plastic.
Here’s one you don’t hear as often: Insulate your home.
The link between insulation and climate change may seem obscure at first. But once you take a closer look, the connection becomes clear.
Here’s how you can lower your heating/cooling bills, protect your HVAC system, and fight climate change—all with better building insulation:
Reduce Heat Loss & Improve Energy Efficiency
Your HVAC system works hard to keep your home warm in the winters and cool in the summers. To do that, it uses energy, which may come from electricity, gas, or solar power.
Ideally, you want your HVAC system to use as little energy as possible as this will reduce the carbon emissions associated with energy use. But without enough insulation, your HVAC system will need to work harder to maintain your desired temperature.
Did you know that 90% of American homes are under-insulated?
A lack of insulation allows air to escape through cracks, holes, and windows or doors. Whenever hot or cold air escapes, your furnace uses more electricity or gas to replace it. In turn, this increases your carbon emissions.
The solution? More insulation. That way, you won’t need to consume as much energy to keep your home comfortable. By adding insulation to the roof and walls, you can improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Conserving energy has another benefit: It saves you money! A well-insulated workplace can provide enormous cost savings for businesses. With commercial roof insulation, you can slash your annual energy costs.
Prevent HVAC System Breakdowns
When a furnace or air conditioner breaks down, where does it go?
Usually, the answer is: Straight to the dump.
That’s why you want to get the most use out of your HVAC system. You can avoid sending it to an early grave and buying a new one (which will consume energy and natural resources to make).
How do you extend the working life of your heating and cooling system? By insulating your home. Here’s why:
Picture an HVAC system in an under-insulated home. All the heat/air conditioning that escapes through cracks, thin walls, and doorways lowers/increases the temperature of the house. Moreover, your HVAC system has to work even harder to keep a consistent temperature; it’s constantly trying to offset heat loss.
An overworked HVAC system will break down much sooner. Not only will it be costly to replace, but it consumes a lot of resources to make, too.
When your home is properly insulated, your HVAC system won’t need to work as hard. This prevents wear and tear and prolongs its lifespan.
Creating a Zero-Carbon Home
Going carbon neutral is the goal. This describes a building that’s so well insulated that it’s airtight; no treated air escapes. It’s a building that’s as energy efficient as possible. A home is considered carbon neutral when it uses electricity instead of natural gas (or ideally, solar power!).
Another way to lower your energy consumption is to install a smart thermostat. By understanding furnace thermostats, you can use them to conserve even more energy. These devices will automatically adjust the temperature when you’re sleeping or away from home.
The more carbon-neutral homes we have, the better!
The Next Step
Once your home or business is completely insulated, how can you do more to fight climate change? Another way to lower your greenhouse gas emissions is to switch from natural gas to cleaner energy. Consider installing solar panels on your roof to soak up energy from the sun.
In conclusion, positive change starts with insulation and ends with cleaner energy. The actions we take every day can affect the progression of climate change. Lastly, if you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint and your energy bills, consider adding more insulation to your home or business.
How does insulation reduce your carbon footprint?
How does insulation reduce your carbon footprint?
