Many of our monthly expenses seem to be on the rise, and electricity and heating costs are no exception! If you are one of the many homeowners here in Brooklyn, Staten Island, or Long Island living in an older home and are looking for ways to reduce your monthly utility costs, you may have heard that insulation can save you energy. But how does it work? More than half of a home’s energy use is related to heating and cooling, meaning this area of your home offers the most opportunity for savings. With proper insulation and air sealing, you can reduce your home’s annual utility costs by an average of 25-35%! Here’s how.
How Insulation and Air Sealing Work
There are two ways that heat can enter and exit a home: by transferring through the building materials of your house and through air leaks. Insulation slows down the transfer of heat, while air sealing fills in holes and gaps, improving upon the efficiency that good insulation provides. When a home is not properly insulated and air sealed, even the best heating and cooling systems will be required to run longer than necessary, driving up energy bills.
By properly insulating and air sealing your home, you’ll benefit from:
- A cooler more comfortable home in the summer
- A warmer more comfortable home in the winter
- Improved soundproofing from outside noises
- Less need for heating and cooling equipment (energy savings)
- Fewer indoor drafts
- Improved indoor air quality
Where Is Insulation Needed?
There is a craft to determining where a home is most in need of insulation, which is where NYS Energy Audits comes in. Our team can assess your home’s current insulation levels and locate areas where you are in need of an upgrade. This allows us to choose the right insulation materials for the job, and ensures we find as many air leaks as possible to permanently seal up.
We find insulation to be the most beneficial in the following areas:
- Attic
- Crawlspace/basement
- Exterior walls
Get Up To 100% Off Insulation and Air Sealing Costs
If you are a National Grid customer, you can receive up to 100% off the cost of upgrading your home with insulation and air sealing thanks to the Total Home Comfort Program. There are no income qualifications for this rebate program, and it all starts with an energy audit from NYS Energy Audits! Other qualifications include:
- You must be a current National Grid residential gas customer
- Your home must be in National Grid’s Metro NYC and Long Island gas service area
- Your home must be a one to four-family house
- You must work with an approved National Grid Partner like NYS Energy Audits
