Lewis Insulation Blog Posts

Best Residential Insulation for Cold Climates

Posted by & filed under Cellulose Insulation.

Here in Minnesota, our climate is undeniably cold. When the summer is over and winter sets in, it gets downright frigid. High-quality insulation is therefore needed to keep homes comfortable not only in the summer but during the winter as well. The right insulation can keep a home safe and heating bills down. But, what types of insulation are best for this cold climate? As the trusted name in insulation including cellulose insulation for St Michael and the surrounding areas, we’ve put together a list of the top choices in insulation for our climate no matter the time of year.

Home Insulation Twin Cities

Before we go into what types of insulation are best for northern climates, we must first talk a bit about the R-Value. It is a metric that stands for the insulation material’s resistance to heat flow. The type of insulation and its R-Value that is needed depends mostly on where you live. In our case of Minnesota, the higher, the better. The general rule is that the higher the R-Value, the better the insulation material.

Blown-In Cellulose Insulation

Blown-In cellulose insulation that has an R-Value of 49 is the best for cold climates. It is effective at all temperatures but can perform even better during cold periods. It’s the best to use in ceilings, open new wall cavities, unfinished attic floors, or other such hard-to-reach places.

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation also has a higher R-Value. It can even help eliminate some other tasks, such as caulking since it also forms an air barrier when it settles. It starts as a liquid, and it expands to fill all the available space, thus sealing cracks, gaps, and air leaks. 

Fiberglass

For cold climates, loose-fill fiberglass insulation has a great R-Value too. It will also not lose its energy-saving capabilities over time. It is non-combustible, non-corrosive & non-absorbent. If exposed to moisture, fiberglass will not hold water. We install high-quality JM fiberglass insulation. When you have us upgrade your insulation needs with JM fiberglass insulation, you can expect year-round comfort.

All three of these solutions work best for our cold climate in Minnesota and here at Lewis Insulation, we supply all three! Not sure which one to choose? Allow our experts to help you select what will work best for your home.

Prepare your home for the lowest possible temperatures this winter, today! For more information about insulation, including cellulose insulation, for your St Michael area home or business, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612 or you can contact us for a Free Estimate.

The Many Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation

Posted by & filed under Spray Foam Insulation.

Is your home’s air conditioning already working on overdrive? If your insulation is out of date or inadequate, you may be fighting a losing battle. Newly installed, higher-quality insulation can help lower your heating and cooling bills and one of the best insulation options out there is spray foam insulation. Plymouth area residents love this type of insulation because of its high R-value and its ability to help save them some money on their heating and cooling costs. Here are a few more reasons to love closed cell spray foam insulation.

Spray Foam Insulation Plymouth

Here at Lewis Insulation, we offer closed-cell polyurethane spray foam insulation. It is one of the most advanced insulating materials available today in the construction industry. We use state-of-the-art equipment & have completed certified training & continued education on spraying polyurethane spray foam.

Closed-cell spray foam insulation has a very high R-value. R-value measures a material’s resistance to heat flow. So the higher the R-value, the better the material is for insulation purposes. And if your house’s insulation has a high R-value, that could translate into savings for you. You could save money on your utility bills because your spray foam insulation is doing such a great job keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

And, because closed-cell spray foam insulation won’t allow moisture into your home, this also means that dust and other allergens are less likely to enter your home too. This could lead to better health for you and your family, especially for those who have allergies. Closed-cell spray foam insulation is also a great way to help reduce the amount of outside noise that enters your home. This is especially beneficial for those who live near a busy road or a similar area.

Spray foam insulation can help increase your home’s structural integrity and help keep birds, insects, squirrels and other pests from nesting in your home. In the long run, this could help you avoid pests like termites, which could cause a great deal of damage and require expensive repairs.

There are many different ways closed cell spray foam insulation can benefit you and your family!

Do you want more information about spray foam insulation in the Plymouth area? Call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us and request a Free Estimate.

Cellulose Insulation Keeps Your Home Cooler in Summer

Posted by & filed under Cellulose Insulation.

It’s getting warmer and warmer and before we know it, summer will be here. Is your home’s insulation working to keep your home cool? If your air conditioning unit is doing all of the work, it’s time to consider better insulation. What happens when you crank up the AC and it’s still uncomfortably hot? Are there rooms in your house that you avoid during the summer? If so, then it’s very likely that you need to update your insulation.

Commercial Spray Foam Insulation

Many people think insulation is only important during the colder seasons, but the need for proper home insulation applies to hotter summer months as well. Insufficient attic insulation allows the summer heat to permeate into homes. This is why it is very important to check attic insulation as the first step in troubleshooting a home that does not stay comfortably cool, or has extremely high electric bills during the summer months. Here at Lewis Insulation, we specialize in insulation installation including cellulose insulation for Wayzata and the surrounding areas. We can help get your insulation where it needs to be for the summer months ahead.

The most important place to start is the attic. When the summer sun beats down continually on your roof, hot and cold air tends to behave differently than it would in the colder, winter months. As we all know, attic insulation, helps to keep the home feeling comfortable.

Cellulose insulation is one of the best options to use in the attic since it offers superior sealing properties compared to fiberglass batts or rolls. Blown-in cellulose insulation provides a thick layer of insulation that provides great comfort to your home. Cellulose insulation is also plant fiber-based; perfect for wall and roof cavities to insulate, draught-proof and reduce free noise. And, since it is made of recycled plant fibers, it is safe for the environment and your wallet. 

If you’ve been having concerns about your attic’s insulation, our highly trained specialists are just a call away. Whether you’re completing a remodeling project or building a new home, our experienced team can help.

Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help your home stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. For more information on cellulose insulation in the Wayzata area, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612 or you can contact us for a Free Estimate.

Things You Can Do to Keep Your House Warm All Winter

Posted by & filed under Residential Insulation.

Do you brace yourself every time you open your heating bill? If so, your house may be too cold and drafty and you’re paying far too much to heat it. Luckily, you can make some changes that will help keep your house warmer and save you money over time. As the trusted insulation contractors for Rogers and the surrounding areas, we’ve put together just some of the ways you can make your house not only cozier but more energy efficient. 

Insulation Contractors Rogers

Have a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat will allow you to preset temperatures for different times of the day because you don’t need to keep your home at the same temperature around the clock. You can choose a setting on the low end when you’re sleeping or are away and go with a higher setting at other times. This way, with a programmable thermostat, there’s no chance you’ll forget to adjust it. 

Move furniture away from heating vents. Sometimes without realizing it, a couch, chair or bed can block the flow of heat into a room. This wastes money and leads to cold rooms. With a forced-air system, blocking a supply or return vent can cause a house-wide pressure imbalance that disrupts the heat flow in the whole system.

Change furnace filter. This is something many homeowners forget. If you have a forced-air system, changing the furnace filter can save you some energy and keep dust down in the house.

Seal door gaps. Cut down on areas cold air can enter your house, like under a door to the outside. Seal any gaps underneath doors leading to the outside with a fabric “door snake.” You can also keep the heat where it’s needed by making sure some interior doors, such as those leading to hallways or near stairways, are kept shut.

If you feel cold air seeping beneath a door leading outside and find that using a door snake is inconvenient, install a draft-defeating nylon door sweep.

Use your drapes. Open them during the day to get free solar heat and then close the curtains just before sunset. Also, consider insulating curtains.

Properly insulate. The correct, properly installed insulation can help make your home not only more comfortable but more efficient as well. It can even help reduce noise pollution and reduce moisture and more.

For more information about insulation contractors in the Rogers area, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612 or contact us for a Free Estimate.

How to Effectively Insulate Your Attic

Posted by & filed under Attic Insulation.

When it comes to home improvements that give you the best return on your investment, attic insulation is about as effective as it gets. A well-insulated attic can stabilize indoor temperatures year-round, prevent ice dams from forming on the roof in winter, reduce home energy consumption, lower your monthly energy bills, and much more. Is your attic properly insulated? Some homeowners assume that insulating the attic is as simple as throwing some fiberglass up into the attic space; however, proper attic insulation requires a much more comprehensive approach. As the experts in attic insulation for Wayzata and the surrounding areas, we’ve put together an outline of how to effectively insulate your attic.

Audit/ Inspection

An important first step is knowing what your attic requires. Many attics contain air leaks and are under-insulated, relying on small amounts of older materials for insulation. An energy audit or attic inspection by trusted attic insulation professionals can reveal where air leaks and insulation gaps exist in your attic. 

Attic Insulation Wayzata

Proper Insulation Installation

Once you know what your attic needs, what kind of insulation should you choose? There are a few different options in attic insulation, all with different R-values. Understanding an insulation material’s R-value – a measure of how well it resists the flow of heat is important; the higher the number, the better the insulating power.

  • Spray foam. Closed cell spray polyurethane foam (SPF) is a premium insulation perfectly suited for the attic. With a high R-value, it acts as a barrier to keep the indoors from the outside climate, creating thermal, air and moisture isolation. It can expand and reach hard-to-till voids that other insulation types are not able to do.
  • Fiberglass and Cellulose Attic Insulation.  These types of blown-in insulation have almost the same R-value, and they are both environmentally friendly. Cellulose is made out of recycled newspaper and fiberglass is made out of sand, both of which are renewable resources.

These types of insulation are great for filling in gaps and ensuring your entire attic is evenly insulated. The installation process is generally pretty quick, depending on the size of your attic.

Attic Ventilation

Once you have the right attic insulation installed, it’s important to ensure property attic ventilation as well. Proper attic ventilation, when combined with air sealing and professionally installed insulation, cools the attic down during warmer months, when heat might otherwise enter through the roof and accumulate in the attic. It also allows warm, moisture-filled air to escape the attic during colder months.

With the proper attic insulation from Lewis Insulation, not only could you see some savings on your heating and cooling bills, but you could also help lower your home’s carbon footprint as well. To learn more about attic insulation in Wayzata and the surrounding areas, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us to set up a Free Estimate.