Lewis Insulation Blog Posts

How Attic Insulation Keeps Your Home Cooler During the Summer

Posted June 25, 2019 by Lewis Insulation & filed under Attic Insulation.

When you hear “insulation” you likely associate it with winter and warmth. However, insulation is key to keeping your home cool during the summer as well. The purpose of insulation goes beyond keeping things warm. Just think about your child’s lunch box; it is insulated to keep the cold air in and its contents cool; the same goes for your home. Insulation is essential to keeping your home cool and your energy costs low. As experts in attic insulation for Eden Prairie and the surrounding areas, we would like to tell you more about it and how it can be the most essential parts of keeping an efficient home.

Insulation is a thermal barrier, meaning it slows the transfer of heat. While walls need insulation too, the attic is the most important place to boost insulation if you discover your home doesn’t have enough. Attic insulation is there to prevent sweltering summer temperatures from entering the attic and passing through the ceiling and into your home.

Did you know that temperatures in the attic can exceed 130 degrees on a hot summer day? Without insulation to create a thermal barrier, this heat seeps down into the house, raising the indoor temperature by an average of 10 degrees. This can easily cause the air conditioner to work overtime in order to cool down your home. This not only makes it consistently warmer inside but can also have a huge impact on your energy bill.

Proper and adequate attic insulation from Lewis Insulation can benefit you in a number of ways. Not only could you see some savings on your cooling bills this summer, but you could help the environment as well. Buildings emit greenhouse gas emissions and the best way to reduce these emissions is through proper attic insulation.

Ready to get started? There are a variety of types of insulation to choose from including closed cell spray foam, fiberglass and cellulose. Each come with their own unique set of benefits and our attic insulation experts can help determine what type of insulation is best for your home and budget. Whichever type of attic insulation you go with, you will notice that the rooms in your home are more evenly cooled and your cooling system is no longer working overtime.

Are you interested in learning more about attic insulation for your Eden Prairie home? Call us at Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us to set up a Free Estimate.

Planning to Insulate? Learn More About Your Insulation Options

Posted April 17, 2019 by Lewis Insulation & filed under Residential Insulation.

Is new insulation on your home renovation checklist this spring? As you know, insulation is essential to the efficiency and comfort of your home and that is why it is so essential to choose the right type of insulation for you. There are several common types of home insulation — fiberglass, cellulose and closed cell spray foam. When correctly installed with air sealing, each type of insulation can deliver comfort and lower energy bills during the hottest and coldest times of the year. As the experts in home insulation for Maple Grove and the surrounding areas, we’d like to offer an outline of these different types of insulation as well as their many benefits.

Closed Cell Spray Foam

Our most popular type of home insulation; closed cell polyurethane spray foam insulation is one of the most advanced insulating materials available today. Here at Lewis Insulation, we use state of the art equipment & have completed certified training & continued education on spraying polyurethane spray foam. Closed cell spray foam offers the highest R-value over all other insulation types. Closed cell spray foam is sprayed at a high heat temperature, using specialized equipment & expands & hardens within minutes. It also expands, filling cracks and voids and creates a seamless air barrier, improving the air quality in your home and reducing energy costs. Closed cell spray foam will not shrink or settle over time, so you can enjoy the energy saving costs for the life of your home. Closed cell spray foam can be applied in non-vented attics, walls, ceilings, attics, floors, foundations, crawl spaces, around piping and more.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is what most people think of when it comes to home insulation. Fiberglass is very budget-friendly however this type of home insulation is usually best installed by professionals. A good choice for walls, floors and ceilings, it comes in rolls that are ready-made for installation. This type of home insulation is best for between framing, like studs and joints.

Cellulose

Cellulose is one of the most effective types of insulation since it has such a high R-value, and it is also a great choice for those concerned about the environment and their carbon footprint. That’s because cellulose is made out of recycled newspaper. It also works great for those hard to reach areas of your home, like your attic. And it can be installed over existing insulation.

These are just some of the great benefits of each type of home insulation material. Give us a call to learn more! We can help determine which type of home insulation is best for you.

To set up an appointment to install home insulation at your Maple Grove home, contact us today by calling 763-477-2612 or Contact us Here.

Why Spring is a Great Time to Consider Your Attic Ventilation

Posted March 22, 2019 by Lewis Insulation & filed under Attic Ventilation.

Spring is on its way which means it’s time for spring cleaning and taking care of important household tasks. But is there a task you’re forgetting to include on your list? Adequate attic ventilation for your Wayzata home is essential to the reduction of heat in the home and efficiency of your cooling. Adequate attic ventilation also protects your home’s structure from the top down and increases your comfort without adding to your energy bills. It can also help prevent major problems from arising in the future, including:

Heat infiltration to your home through the attic. Even with adequate insulation, some heat will seep into your ceilings and down into the rooms when temperatures climb. Because of this, your air conditioner will run more often in order to cool the air off, driving up energy costs.
Mold growth which can develop in the attic when high humidity is present. Once it takes hold, it can spread throughout the rest of your home. Proper attic ventilation can help prevent this.
Roof damage. Consistent high moisture and temperatures in the attic due to lack of ventilation can cause damage to the roof including rippling, warping and more.

The first step to combat these issues is to add attic ventilation to your to-do list this spring and contact the experts here at Lewis Insulation. Our experts can calculate how much ventilation your attic needs and how much is already there. As a general rule, you should establish a 1:300 ratio in which every 300 square feet of ceiling space calls for 1 square foot of attic ventilation. Accessory items like grates, piping and others that sit on your roof may also be an issue in calculating and setting up true ventilation.

From there, we will recommend a plan of action to install proper attic ventilation in your home. It is normal to think that adding more insulation would assist in the overall effort to prevent summer issues in attic ventilation. That is not the case, however. Vents in the roof at points where insulation is installed allows for more opportunity for moisture to get in. Some venting is absolutely necessary on the roof but you do not want to add to it by installing more insulation.

Ready to get started? For more information on attic ventilation for your Wayzata home, call us at Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us and get a Free Estimate.

Getting the Facts about Environmentally Friendly Spray Foam Insulation

Posted February 25, 2019 by Lewis Insulation & filed under Spray Foam Insulation.

If you don’t know a lot about spray foam insulation, it may seem somewhat daunting. But, it doesn’t have to be! Spray foam insulation offers many wonderful benefits and is easier to install than you might think. As the experts in spray foam insulation for the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, we’d like to tell you more about it including what makes it one of the most environmentally friendly options in insulation.

Did you know that not only can using eco-friendly spray foam save you money in the long run, it can help save many resources and prevent future problems from arising in your home? Spray foam insulation helps prevent mold, over use of your heating or cooling systems and more.

Closed cell spray foam insulation is also the only type of insulation material that can add structural integrity to your home. The National Association of Home Builders Research Center did some testing and found that spray-applied polyurethane foam insulation increased rack and shear strength two to three times. They compared spray foam insulation between wood and steel stud wall panels with glass fiber insulation with standard stick-built component.

Looking to make your home ‘greener?’ Look no further than spray foam insulation! The countless positives to using environmentally friendly spray foam are enough reason to make the switch over to this cost-effective insulation. Here are just some of the reasons spray foam insulation is the smarter, greener choice:

Can prevent heating and cooling waste
Has high R-value
Reaches hard to reach places around plumbing, writing, or windows
Saves money and natural resources
Offers great energy savings
Provides a moisture barrier
Offers an air-tight seal
It’s a powerful insulator
Has a long-life span
Is cost-effective

And, these are just some of the reasons spray foam insulation is a great, environmentally friendly choice in insulation. The benefits are endless, and it is no wonder why more and more homeowners are making the switch over to environmentally friendly spray foam.

Ready to learn more about spray foam insulation and how it can work for you and your home or business? Call us at Lewis Insulation and we can tell you even more about closed cell spray foam insulation for your Twin Cities property, give you a free estimate and then schedule a time to come to your home or business to do the work.

Signs Your Home May Be Under Insulated

Posted December 20, 2018 by Lewis Insulation & filed under Residential Insulation.

Has your home seemed a little drafty this winter? Does your heater seem to be working overtime but there’s still a chill in the air? Noticed exceptionally high heating bills? Chances are your home may not have enough insulation. Many homes all over the United States are under insulated for one simple reason; home builders install the minimum amount of residential insulation required by code. And, that is rarely enough to keep a home warm! As experts in residential insulation for St Paul and the surrounding areas we have put together a list of indications that your home may be under insulated.

High Energy Bill

Look over your home’s energy bills from the last few years. Do you notice huge increases? You may not notice extreme temperature shifts in your home or if your heating or cooling units are working overtime, but you will notice your extreme energy bill.

Ice Dams

Aside from high heating bills, another warning sign in winter is ice dams. Ice dams occur when heat rises from a poorly-insulated home and melts the bottom layer of snow off on the roof. The melted water then trickles down towards the gutters and freezes once it hits the cooler air. The result is large chunks of ice and ice dams.

Temperature Fluctuation Throughout the Home

A sign of a properly insulated home is even temperatures throughout. If different rooms have different temperatures that’s a clear sign your house is under-insulated. It’s important that all areas of your home are properly insulated. Heat and cool air can escape almost anywhere if there isn’t proper insulation to stop it.

Cold Walls & Frozen Pipes

The interior ceilings, walls and floors in your home should feel warm and dry. When drywall and paneling inside a home feels damp or cold, that is one indication that there is not enough insulation.

Frozen pipes in your walls are another indicator that you have an insulation problem. Proper residential insulation should protect your home from damage caused by freezing outdoor temperatures.

Drafts

During the winter months, drafts in certain areas of a home are caused by cool air entering around window frames and doorways. Adding residential insulation in these key areas will not only make your home feel less drafty, it will also save you on energy bills.

And, these are just some of the signs your home may suffer from under-insulation. For more information about residential insulation for your St Paul area home, call us at Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us to get a Free Estimate.