According to DOE, one of the most cost-effective ways to make your home more comfortable year-round is to add insulation to your attic.
Perhaps the most important building material in an energy-efficient home is the insulation package. Without a good insulation system, one that includes caulking and sealing, many of the other energy-efficient components and equipment in the home may not perform as intended. A well-insulated home, particularly one that is insulated with fiber glassA material consisting of glass fibers used in making various products, including yarns, fabrics, insulation, and structural objects or parts. Fiber glass is resistant to heat and fire., rock wool, or slag woolMan-made material made primarily from iron ore blast furnace slag. insulation, is one of the most cost-effective ways of saving energy and reducing heating and cooling bills.
Acoustics
One of the best "quieting" technologies available for a home is fiber glass, rock woolA synthetic vitreous fiber insulation made by melting predominantly igneous rock and other inorganic materials, and then physically forming them melt into fibers. See Mineral Wool. and slag wool insulationMan-made material made primarily from iron ore blast furnace slag which is spun into a fibrous form.. Insulation reduces sound transmission. A comfortable, energy-efficient home goes beyond warmth – it includes acoustic comfort as well. Today’s focus on healthier and greener living has homeowners asking for noise control solutions to maximize the enjoyment of their living environment. A good noise control insulation package not only increases the comfort of your home but it also adds value.
Thermal Comfort and Heat Control
Fiber glass, rock wool, and slag wool insulations resist the flow of heat both into and out of the home. Heat is a form of energy – it always seeks a cooler area – flowing outward in winter and inward in summer. By reducing heat flow in a properly insulated building, less energy is used to heat and cool the home.
Moisture Control
Insulation with a vapor-resistant membrane (commonly called a vapor retarderHelps control the amount of moisture passing through the insulation and collecting inside exterior walls, ceilings and floors. It is rated in perms ("permeance"). The lower the perm rating, the better the water vapor permeance. A vapor retarder should have a perm rating no greater than 1.0.) attached to a batt or roll of insulation decreases the possibility of moisture vapor condensing to water inside the structure of a home. Sometimes a vapor retarder is installed separately and not attached to the insulation.
