When it comes to purchasing homes, many buyers and sellers alike, unfortunately, have an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. That is to say, it is easy to overlook potential defects and even huge problems if they are not visible to the naked eye.
Insulation often falls into this category. Despite being so crucially important to most buildings, people will often overlook it or not even know about the importance that it holds.
The importance of insulation
The Department of Energy looks into the importance of insulation in any inhabitable building. First and foremost, they note insulation’s purpose for temperature regulation. Not only does this tie directly to your comfort, but it also has a potentially huge impact on the amount of money you spend on energy bills or heating.
In the winter, heat from an uninsulated home will escape much faster, causing more effort to end up going into keeping fires running or keeping the heat actively on instead of cycling it on and off throughout the day. In the summer, an uninsulated home can hold on to excessive humidity and may not cool down as efficiently.
Creating barriers with insulation
Of course, insulation serves other purposes, as well. It creates a barrier from moisture and radiant energy, and certain types even work to filter out harmful particles in the air. One major issue with poorly installed insulation is the possibility of moisture damage taking root in fibrous materials and leading to mold infestations throughout the insulation material. This can actually lead to sickness or other health issues of occupants in the home, on top of contributing to water damage due to the compromising of its barrier aspects.