April 20, 2021
Your basement or crawl space is under your feet, out of sight, and usually out of mind. So when it comes to upgrading the systems throughout your home that keep you comfortable, who could blame you for wondering if insulation for the basement walls will provide enough benefit to make it worth it?
At Mass Energy Experts, we’ve made it our business to help homeowners increase the comfort and efficiency of their homes while saving as much as possible on their home improvements through Energy Save rebates. Here is what you need to know about how insulating the basement can affect the rest of your Massachusetts home. Energy Save still provides some incentives for basement wall insulation under very specific circumstances which will need to be identified during a Home Energy Assessment.
How The Basement Affects the Home
The attic and the basement serve as the barrier between your home and the outside air. During the warmer times of the year, the sun's rays will beat down on your roof, heating up the air around it. This hot air will then work its way down under the ceiling, where it can force your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to in order to keep your home cool and comfortable. When the winter chill hits, the colder your attic is, the more heat it will attract from your living space, putting a strain on your furnace and leading to ice dams in some cases.
With all of this air moving around up above, your basement steps in to offer replacement air to fill the void, meaning the musty, humid, unconditioned air from your basement will make its way into your bedrooms, kitchen, and every other area of your home. Symptoms of a home that does not have good basement insulation include:
Cold morning floors
Indoor drafts
Inconsistent room-to-room temperatures
Insulate the Basement (and the Attic!)
Insulation is meant to slow down the transfer of heat between the inside of your home and the outside. This can happen through the materials your home is built with, like roofing, wooden studs or joists, and even foundation concrete. By insulating, you are keeping unwanted air out, and the conditioned air you need in, further increasing the stability of the temperature in your home.
The best way to insulate the basement walls is to take this a step further air sealing the basement and attic (and remaining areas) of a home prevents air from freely moving in and out. Air sealing is the process of locating and permanently sealing all of the small holes, gaps, and cracks throughout a home. With a properly insulated home that is as close to airtight without sacrificing indoor air quality, you can experience a number of benefits:
Reduced energy costs
Stable home temperatures all year round
No more indoor drafts
No more cold morning floors
Mass Energy Experts Is Here to Help!
With a Energy Save Virtual Home Energy Assessment, you can learn exactly where your home is most in need of insulation, along with a complimentary air sealing service (if needed). And once your assessment is complete, we will then help you save up to 75% on your ensuing insulation upgrades, ensuring you receive cost-effective insulation for your basement walls. Plus, you could receive a box shipped to your door that contains other energy-saving products that you may need like water-efficient showerheads, LED bulbs, and more!