Home Insulation
One of the most cost-effective ways to make your home more comfortable year-round is by air-sealing and adding insulation.
In most electrically-heated homes in New Brunswick, 50% of energy use goes towards heating. Both adding insulation and reducing air leakage help you use less energy for heating.
Make sure you’re not paying to heat (or cool) the outdoors. Ensure you have adequate levels of insulation and that your home is airtight by air sealing throughout your home.
A good rule of thumb is to always start in the area with the least amount of insulation. If your walls and attic are moderately well insulated, but the basement is completely unfinished, then head downstairs and work your way up, adding insulation until you achieve the recommended levels listed below.
In New Brunswick, the recommended levels of insulation throughout a home are:
| Attic | Sloped ceiling | Main walls | Basement walls | Header | Exposed floor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-60 | R-30 | R-30 | R-30 | R-40 | R-30M |
| Recommended insulation levels | |
|---|---|
| Attic | R-60 |
| Sloped ceiling | R-30 |
| Main walls | R-30 |
| Basement walls | R-30 |
| Header | R-40 |
| Exposed floor | R-30M |
A properly insulated and air-sealed home will be easier to heat (and cool), keeping you more comfortable!
- Walls cold to touch.
- Cold floors.
- High heating costs.
- Uneven heating levels in home.
- Uncomfortably hot inside air.
- High cooling costs.
- Ineffectiveness of air conditioning system.
