ServiceMax Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Insulation’

Why Is This Room Hotter Than the Others? Is It the Air Conditioning System?

Monday, September 14th, 2015

We’re still dealing with warm temperatures here in Chicagoland, and can expect them to keep up for a few more weeks before the time comes to start firing up our furnaces or other heating systems. The stress on your air conditioner during the last few months is often enough to lead to a malfunction that will affect your household’s comfort. One of the warning signs that this is happening is when you discover a room in the house that feels hotter and stuffier than the others.

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How Insulation Makes Your Home More Energy Efficient

Wednesday, October 15th, 2014

Insulation in Skokie isn’t just about keeping your home warm during winter; it’s about making your home energy efficient all year long. This is why it’s important to have good insulation in your home from top to bottom. The main job of insulation is to slow the transfer of heat, which is important for both heating and cooling your home efficiently. If you are concerned about the level of insulation in your home, call the professionals you can trust: Malek Heating & Cooling.

Why Insulation Is Important for Energy Efficiency

There are 3 ways in which heat moves through your home:

  • Convection – the way heat circulates through liquids and gases
  • Conduction – the way heat moves through materials
  • Radiation – heat that travels in a straight line and is absorbed by anything exposed to it

Heat will always move toward colder environments; this is a basic law of thermodynamics. As such, during the winter, your heat will want to travel toward cooler spaces; insulation slows this process considerably. During the summer, heat tries to move into cooled indoor areas, and insulation helps prevent this heat transfer.

Without proper insulation, your HVAC system will have to work harder, whether it’s cold or warm outside. Any time your system has to work harder, it uses more energy. Good insulation helps to retain the air in your home, lessening the load on your system.

Types of Insulation

There are four main types of insulation, and they can be used in combination with each other to maximize insulation capability:

  • Batt insulation (roll insulation) – the most common type of insulation, typically rolled out in layers on floors and in walls.
  • Foam board/rigid foam insulation – stiff board insulation that is best used in walls, ceilings and floors.
  • Loose-fill insulation (also known as blown-in) – made of 100% recycled materials, loose fill is great for retro-fitting older homes needing more and better insulation.
  • Spray foam insulation – a very popular choice, spray foam is an adhesive that when sprayed, expands up to 100 times its size. Spray foam forms an air-tight seal wherever it is applied.

Good insulation in Skokie can increase your energy efficiency and comfort, and reduce stress on your HVAC system. Call Malek Heating & Cooling today and schedule an appointment with one of our insulation specialists.

 

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