We’ve all been disturbed by our neighbors at some point of our lives. The terrible screaming of a baby (it’s probably not so cute when it wakes you up), the quarrel over a household chore next door or simply a wild party involving loud music by the teenager whose parents are out of town. If you’ve had to experience even one of these, you’ll probably love to know more about insulation. Most people tend to forget to insulate their walls or rather, don’t pay much attention to insulation, which is one of the important aspects of interior design. In recent times though, communities mostly have a guideline which makes insulation compulsory. Well, that’s probably not to save you from your neighbor’s unbearable noisiness, but because insulations are really helpful in stopping fires too! Here in this article, we take a close look at insulation and its benefits.
1. Anti – Noise
We’ve already told you where the noise may be coming from. If you feel the need to keep yourself away from noisy neighbors, you don’t need to spend a fortune. Noise can be curbed with insulation, which can bring down those high decibels and let you sleep in peace. For rooms which have home theatres, heavy sound dampening is really important. This can be done with a double framed wall with offset studs. It is important to note that a standard wall may not be able to provide a perfect soundproof barrier.
2. Energy Efficiency
If you live in a region with frequent temperature fluctuations, it’s the best choice to get your walls insulated. Doing so reduces the transfer of heat and you won’t have to use your heater or cooler to get your rooms to a suitable temperature. It was found in a recent survey that people who had their rooms insulated reported 30 – 40% less consumption of energy in their houses. Convert that to money and you’ll be able to see the effect on your electricity bill. It is also true that when temperatures fluctuate, your frames and walls will expand and contract, resulting in cracks. This may lead you to replacing the entire wall, which means much higher costs. Why spend more when you don’t need to?
3. Fireproof
Walls that separate living spaces are called party walls and if insulated, are very good in preventing fires. Having them is therefore, a safety benefit. However, installing a party wall does need an amount of effort and investment. The material used to construct it should be fire-rated, along with the wall itself. You must contact the local fire authorities for permission for your wall, and they’ll send someone over to check it.
4. Cheap to Install
Insulating walls are cheap and they make your bills cheaper. Depending on the country you live in, costs can be around a few hundred dollars or less. Of course, this is variable to the number of rooms that need to be insulated, the size of the rooms, the size of your house and the taxes imposed for the service. For an external solid wall insulation done, those who are exposed to benefits may get a free installation too!
5. Improved Moisture Control
When water or moisture seeps into the pores in your wall, they can be a serious pain. Water trapped in walls cause mildew, rot and frozen moisture that stains as it melts. Having a vapor resistant insulation right there on your wall will not only block water from seeping into the walls, they also keep them looking as good as new! Activities of daily life such as washing, cooking and bathing can introduce moisture content to the atmosphere of your house, so it is important for specific rooms such as your kitchen and washroom to have insulated walls.
6. Increases the Value of Your Property
External wall insulation can improve the value of your property in many ways. Having an external insulated wall makes your property look neater and much more attractive. If you plan to sell it off any time in the future, the price of your externally insulated property would be significantly higher than normal. In the modern housing market, people are looking at properties which are more energy efficient. Since wall insulation does reduce energy costs, this could help you stand out in the real estate market.
7. Does Not Take Up Floor Space
Getting your walls insulated from the outside has another bonus – you don’t lose any floor space at all! Getting an internal insulation can be disturbing for your daily activities and you may need to shift furniture and redecorate. However, when the insulation is on the outside of your house, you can continue with your daily work without any hindrance. This makes the process convenient and easy to deal with and once it’s done, you can reap the benefits of an insulated house.
8. Go Green
You certainly care about the environment, don’t you? If you do, getting an insulated wall is a very good way of helping out. As mentioned earlier, insulated walls are useful in cutting down on energy costs because they reduce heat transfer. This, in turn, helps the environment. When you use your temperature control devices less, you also emit less greenhouse gases such as CFCs and Carbon Dioxide. Your house becomes energy – economic and you play a major role in curbing harmful emissions. Inspired?
9. Long Live the Wall!
While we’re not trying to give you any political propaganda, the above slogan is certainly applicable for an insulated wall. The disheartening part of living in a house is seeing walls crack and stain as the house gets older and is exposed to the extreme weather conditions. Rain, snow, dust, wind, cold – they all have one thing in common and that is, they eat up your wall with time. If you need to outsmart the forces of nature, insulation is your best bid. An insulated wall lasts longer before you need to give it a reinforcement.
Getting your walls insulated may not be a bad idea. We’ve told you why. From energy efficiency to being significant in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, their positives are numerous. When making a choice for an insulation, you must ensure that the quality meets the standards of your country and that it can withstand the weather conditions of your area. For example, people living on the beachfront require a specific type of insulation that can be effective against both salt and moisture. Similarly, one living in the mountains or in regions of high altitude must get an insulation that keeps the house extra warm and reducing the expansion and contraction of walls with varying temperatures. All we can tell you is, should you choose to get your wall insulated, we applaud your decision. Get it done and you’ll be able to see why!
