Conduction is the transmission of heat energy through materials. An example of conduction is the way heat in a broiling attic conducts down through your ceiling in summer and warms rooms directly below. Convection is the movement of heat through air, such as the natural process of warm air rising up and out of living spaces in winter. In both household examples, the movement of heat can be retarded — and cooling and heating costs reduced — by making the effort to improve attic insulation.

Insulation is rated by its R-value. “R” stands for resistance to heat and the value numeral expresses how efficiently the insulation performs that role. The higher it is, the better. Insulation’s total R-value depends on its depth in inches. Fiberglass batts and cellulose loose fill insulation have R-values of 3.1 and 3.8, respectively. Therefore, a 10-inch layer of insulation in the attic equals a total R-value of 31 for fiberglass batts or 38 for cellulose.

Many if not most existing homes are under-insulated by today’s standards. Efforts to improve attic insulation can pay off in both summer and winter, and energy savings will begin on Day One. Attic insulation may be upgraded by adding more of the same, or a different type can be added atop existing layers.

Recommended levels of attic insulation are specified by the Department of Energy according to your local climate zone. In a San Antonio home with an existing 3 to 4 inches of insulation, the DOE recommends an additional R-25 to R-38. This means adding another 8 to 12 inches of fiberglass insulation or 6 to 10 inches of cellulose loose fill.

Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning covers San Antonio with skilled heating and cooling expertise. Ask us about options to improve attic insulation and cut heating and cooling costs today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Jon Wayne Heating and Air Conditioning services  San Antonio and the surrounding communities of Seguin, New Braunfels, Bulverde, Boerne, and Comal County.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!

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Here’s a look at the advantages and disadvantages of two commonly used types of insulation: fiberglass and cellulose. In many scenarios, fiberglass offers a better long-term investment.

• Settling – Cellulose is often blown in to a space, which makes it easy to use and ideal for hard-to-reach spaces. However, it tends to settle over time. Once it does, it may not meet minimum R-value standards. Fiberglass doesn’t settle and can maintain its thickness and thermal abilities over the long-term.
• Combustibility – The materials from which an insulation is constructed may be combustible, which will increase fire hazards in your home. Cellulose is often made from newspaper, which is highly combustible. Fiberglass, on the other hand, is not combustible, as it’s constructed from inorganic materials such as sand. As an added bonus, fiberglass doesn’t have to be treated with chemicals to retard fires, like cellulose does.
• Humidity – Moisture that exists in the air can settle into insulation, leading to damage and the decreased ability to withstand the movement of heat. Fiberglass insulation won’t hold moisture, therefore resisting any losses in thermal ability. Cellulose, however, because it’s often constructed from shredded newspaper, will take on moisture. This results in two negative consequences: The insulation will lose its ability to retard fire, and the water reduces its overall efficiency.
• Mold – A special concern in the San Antonio area, mold can easily grow on insulation made from organic materials, like cellulose. The inorganic materials of fiberglass insulation will not allow mold to develop.

It’s best to work with your HVAC contractor when choosing home insulation, as the ideal type generally depends on the state of existing insulation, the location to be insulated and more. If you’d like help choosing home insulation, contact the experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning today. We’ve been serving San Antonio and the surrounding communities, including New Braunfels, Bulverde, Seguin and Boerne, since the mid 1970s.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Jon Wayne Heating and Air Conditioning services  San Antonio and the surrounding communities of Seguin, New Braunfels, Bulverde, Boerne, and Comal County.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!

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You see, without any insulation, your home would become unbearably hot, as it wouldn’t have a way to resist the movement of heat, with outside air moving into the attic. Once heat is allowed to gain entry, the temperature would begin to rise, and ultimately affect the temperature of your home’s living space below, as heat radiated from the attic into the home. Ultimately, your air conditioner would have to compensate for that heat gain, causing your energy bills to soar.

Unless your home is relatively new, it’s likely that your home’s attic insulation could be degraded, due to either rodents, moisture-related damage or dirt from air leaks. Over time, insulation can compress as well, reducing its overall thickness — and its efficiency. Replacing any damaged insulation is an important first step, because rodent problems, for instance, can cause a health hazard and must be completely eradicated if rodent droppings are found within your home’s insulation.

It’s often helpful to have a professional assess your attic insulation to determine its condition, and assess whether you have the right type and amount of insulating material. Then, your contractor can make recommendations for upgrading the insulation.

In the San Antonio region, most attic insulation should reach a minimum efficiency rating of R-38, or have up to 12 inches of insulation. Batt insulation and blown fiberglass insulation are often the best choices for an attic space. Batt insulation comes in blanket form, and can be easily laid between attic joists and studs. Adding blown insulation to an attic’s oddly shaped spaces helps to create an efficient space, as it easily conforms to crevices and around wiring.

Get expert advice about attic insulation in your greater San Antonio area home. Contact Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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To improve the overall performance of your home and its related systems, follow these three tips for home insulation:

Install home insulation in key places

At Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning, we recommend using certain materials for certain locations throughout the home. Because the attic is generally the most accessible area to install insulation in an existing home, and upgrading insulation there offers the biggest return on investment over other locations, we recommend that homeowners start in the attic.

Use the right materials with the appropriate efficiency rating

For the San Antonio region, Jon Wayne and other experts recommend that homeowners should use an insulation rated at least R-38 for an attic. For other locations, such as floors and the home’s cavity, use insulation with at least an R-13 rating.

Use the right type of materials

In our region, the most effective types of insulation materials to use in the attic are either blanket or blown fiberglass insulation. The latter is useful for spaces that are hard to reach, as it will adhere well to small cracks and crevices. Blankets roll out easily in larger spaces, between attic joists. Efficiency ratings for batts will differ according to the material’s thickness.

Before starting any home insulation project, consult a professional. And you may find it worthwhile to have an expert assess your home insulation needs and then proceed with efficiency-correcting projects.

For more information about home insulation, contact the area’s leading HVAC experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning. We have been serving the greater San Antonio area since the mid-1970s with expert air conditioning services, repair and preventive maintenance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about home insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

• Check the condition of your air conditioning system’s filter. Start the cooling season with a fresh, clean filter. Clean filters help to ensure optimal airflow through your system as well as energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
• Set up a reminder to change the filter. When you use your air conditioner 24/7, check the filter once a month. If you’re not sure how long it takes your filter to become full, set up a calendar reminder to check the filter four weeks after you install a new one. Take it out and hold it up to the light: If it’s dirty, brown or full of lint-like dust, you know it’s time to change it.
• Schedule a maintenance visit. A cooling technician should conduct a comprehensive inspection of the system to ensure that it can operate a peak performance.
• Check your home’s ductwork. Generally as part of an HVAC tune-up, your cooling technician will also check the condition of your ducts and seal them to close up any leaks. Doing so will ensure that you receive more of the cooled air that your A/C generates.
• Prepare the outdoor A/C unit. Remove the outdoor cover before you fire up the system, and check the area immediately surrounding the unit, removing any leaves or debris that could affect airflow.

In addition, consider upgrading your attic insulation. Texas’ hot climate means that a lot of heat is more likely to build up in your attic, greatly affecting A/C performance. Ensure that your attic’s insulation rates an R-value of 38 or higher to prevent the movement of outside heat into the space, further impacting the temperature of your living spaces.

Don’t let San Antonio’s stifling heat take you by surprise. Get your home ready for summer to maximize your energy savings. For help, contact the experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Whether you are adding insulation to a newly constructed home or retrofitting your existing home, use the list of insulation types below to guide your selection.

For a retrofit, you’ll need to have an expert evaluate your existing insulation levels throughout your home, including the attic, all ceilings, exterior walls, basement and floor. If insulation has degraded or worn out over time, you can choose from four basic insulation types:

• Batts or rolls (also called blankets). Suitable for use between wall studs or between floor joists, batts come in a variety of R-values, a measurement that indicates insulation’s effectiveness. This type of insulation can be rolled or laid out in a larger space.
• Loose fill. This insulation type is generally blown into a location using specialized equipment. It’s a good choice for filling hard-to-reach spaces, such as attics, and it will easily adhere and fill crevices.
• Rigid foam. While this insulation is more costly, it has a high R-value and performs well. It is relatively thin, but its fibers are quite dense, offering maximum protection against heat transfer.
• Foam in place. Also a blown-in type of insulation, foam-in-place insulation can be easily blown into existing walls, and it also helps to minimize air leaks.

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends specific R-values for insulation installed in various parts of a San Antonio area home. In your:

• Attic, strive for insulation totaling R-30 to R-49, with some experts recommending at least R-38 for these spaces.
• Exterior walls, go for R-13 to R-15.
• Floors, strive for R-13.
• Cathedral ceilings, go for R-22 to R-38.

Improving the insulation throughout your home will help manage utility bills and improve your home comfort. Contact the experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning today for help. We’ve proudly served Greater San Antonio since the mid-1970s.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Use the following steps to ensure that you leave no stone unturned when evaluating how your home uses energy — and that you use targeted actions that will improve it. For whole-house energy savings:

• Equipment size matters. Every piece of air-conditioning equipment has a specific capacity to cool. If that capacity doesn’t meet your home’s cooling requirements, or “cooling load,” you’ll notice that it will directly impact your overall comfort. Equipment that’s too big or too small will not be able to adequately heat or cool your home, and A/C equipment in particular will not be able to manage humidity levels.
• Know your efficiency. Even if your current equipment isn’t that old, you could still benefit significantly from upgrading. Today, high-efficiency cooling equipment can reach efficiencies far beyond what systems manufactured just 10 years ago can. In fact, the highest-efficiency A/Cs can now reach Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) 23.
• Ductwork impacts your systems. If your ductwork leaks or has loosely connected joints, you’re likely losing valuable conditioned air as it travels through the ducts. Have the system evaluated and upgraded by a professional.
• Keep conditioned air inside. With proper insulation levels, you can be assured that the conditioned air that your cooling and heating systems produce remains inside, because insulation acts as a heat barrier, restricting its movement in all seasons.
• Check the attic. Leaks in the attic allow air to infiltrate the space. In the summer, they will cause your attic’s temperature to soar, further impacting how cool your home feels. Sealing leaks is a fairly simple do-it-yourself job, but it’s important to also evaluate ventilation. A professional HVAC contractor can help you install a solar-powered attic fan, which will remove heat in the attic while saving energy.

Get expert help to assess your home’s performance, and increase your potential for energy savings. Contact your local HVAC professionals at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning today. We’ve proudly served the Greater San Antonio area since the mid-1970s.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Energy efficiency image via Shutterstock

Why the attic needs attention

Because hot air rises naturally, as you heat your home in the winter that heat is at risk of rising into your attic. If the insulation in your attic floor doesn’t prevent heat loss, your furnace will have to work overtime to produce enough warmth to maintain home comfort. Additionally, if the attic walls and ceiling are not well insulated, you’ll lose heat through the attic to the outside.

In the summer, insulation also impacts comfort. It’s at this time that insulation works in the reverse. Because insulation acts as a heat barrier, it helps keep cool air in and hot air out in the summer. With less-than-ideal attic insulation, the blazing summer heat can access your attic, driving it to extremely high temperatures. And that can seep into your home’s living spaces, causing your air-conditioning system to consume more energy.

What you can do about attic insulation

The best course of action when you want to upgrade insulation is to have an expert conduct an assessment. An expert technician should evaluate:

• The condition of your existing insulation. If it’s moldy or shows evidence of wear and tear, it should be replaced.
• The levels and efficiency of your insulation. For most San Antonio homes, an R-value of R-38 is required for attic spaces, and there should be up to 12 inches in insulation thickness to get the job done.
• Air leaks. Since they also contribute to an inefficient attic, the technician should seal up any exposed areas.

Need to give your attic’s insulation an overhaul? The experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning are ready to help. We’ve been assisting San Antonio area homeowners since the mid-1970s in all areas of home comfort and energy efficiency.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Attic insulation image via Shutterstock

• How long does insulation last? That depends. Older insulating materials weren’t manufactured with the durability of modern materials, which can actually outlast the homes they are installed in. Blown fiberglass insulating material can last indefinitely.
• Does it matter if insulation is rolled or blown in? Rolled and blown-in each have benefits. Rolled (or batt) material can be more applicable if you’re ever going to finish your attic, or use it for storage. Blown cellulose will reach more nooks and crannies, providing more complete coverage. It won’t be used as bedding by rodentsand  it can be made from recycled materials.
• Should I remove old materials before installing new ones? Removing the old material is something to consider. Rodents can rip rolled batting to shreds or soak it with urine and droppings, and leaky roofs can cause water damage. Not only does this affect insulating material’s efficiency, it’s also unhealthy. Jon Wayne offers a service where the existing attic insulation is removed and the attic floor is then sealed with expanding foam – then re-insulated.
• How much insulation do I need? That depends on a number of factors, but in general San Antonio homes need about 10 to 12 inches of insulating material with a rating of at least R38.
• Can you explain the R rating system? Of course! The “R” rating measures thermal resistance. The higher the R value, the more it reduces heat flow. When choosing insulating material, you should always buy based on the R value, not the thickness.

If you think you could save energy and money by adding insulation to your home, call Jon Wayne. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and find the right solution for your home!

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about saving money with insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Jon Wayne Heating and Air Conditioning services  San Antonio and the surrounding communities of Seguin, New Braunfels, Bulverde, Boerne, and Comal County. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

Attic heat can reach up to 180 degrees on extremely hot days. It is difficult for air conditioners to work effectively or at their best efficiency when the barrier between your attic and living space is inadequate.
An optimum amount of attic insulation should be 10 to 12 inches of blown in fiberglass. An inch or two less than that amount can add up to a lot of wasted energy dollars. Adequate insulation helps maintain the comfort level in your home after the AC (or furnace) shuts off. And once the adequate amount of blown in fiberglass insulation is in place, it is there forever.

Many homeowners assume that the proper amount of attic insulation is present in their attic space. Even some of the more modern homes have insulation levels that fall short of the recommended R-38 level.

A call to Jon Wayne Heating and Air will bring one of our NATE Certified specialists to your home to evaluate your attic and determine if you need to upgrade to the level you should be. Blowing in attic insulation is low-cost way to greatly reduce energy consumption, lower your bills and allow your air conditioning system to work less by keeping the cool air in and the attic heat out.

Go to our learning center and find other information on how to keep attic heat sealed out of your living space. Stay cooler by making sure you have the right layer of protective insulation.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about attic insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Jon Wayne Heating and Air Conditioning services  San Antonio and the surrounding communities of Seguin, New Braunfels, Bulverde, Boerne, and Comal County. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.