Do you face constant problems maintaining your home’s temperature? Feeling too hot in summer or too cold in winter – and working your HVAC unit overtime to counter it? That’s a problem – and it’s likely because your insulation is not working effectively. Plus, poor construction can be working against your home’s efforts to maintain a consistent temperature. Heat is, after all, a form of energy – and it can transfer in different ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. But what do these terms mean? Read on for a primer on what you need to know about heat loss – and how spray foam insulation is the tool you need to combat all three types.
Conductive Heat Loss
The most typical form of heat loss is conductive heat loss. This refers to the process of heat energy transferring through physical contact – as surface molecules move quickly and bump into their neighbors. So, what does this mean for your home? Surfaces likes walls and windows can transfer energy between the outside and inside of your home, exchanging heat – causing the interior of your home to become colder or warmer depending on the direction of heat loss. More conductive surfaces cause greater heat loss – and that’s why effective insulation can help!
Convective Heat Loss
Next on the list is convection – in which energy transfer occurs through the movement of a fluid. But that doesn’t just refer to a liquid – it can also be a gas, like the air inside your home. A heated fluid will move away from the heat source – just like how hot air rises due to its lower density. Cold air is pushed down – and energy becomes carried in this current. Consider how this can work with the air within your home – and how rising heat can escape if you lack effective attic and ceiling insulation!
Radiant Heat Loss
Radiant heat loss can refer to the transmission of heat as energy waves on the electromagnetic spectrum. These infrared waves are invisible – but all hot sources radiate heat in all directions to cooler objects. Think about the sun, for example. When the sun’s energy strikes your roof, the roofing becomes hotter. This heat then transfers through conduction through your attic – but quality insulation like spray foam insulation can help stop excess heat from affecting rooms below, and installing radiant barriers in attics helps to reflect the sun’s radiant heat back and away from your home’s interior, as well.
The Role of Spray Foam Insulation
So, what role does spray foam insulation play – and how can it help maintain your home’s temperature? As a premium and newer form of home insulation, spray foam can be used to seal your attic walls and ceilings against heat loss. It won’t become compressed like traditional insulation, and it can also help fill cracks and gaps where air might escape and contribute to the changing interior temperature of your home. With these changes made, your HVAC system can work far more effectively to keep your home at the right temperature – even cutting your energy bill for big savings and a longer-lasting unit.
Are you ready to help make your home more efficient with the help of the best attic insulation? Attic Man, your premier spray foam insulation contractors, are here to help with the right expertise to get the job done! Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
