Most homeowners will have common question – how much insulation do they need – and it is always difficult to answer it. The simple answer to this question is you should have all the insulation that could fit the available space. But you have also to keep in mind the costs and the area where you live and the climate there. But Calgary experiences extremes of temperature, and the more insulation you have, the better it will be. Your home insulation works as a kind of blanket that protects you from spending more and more on your energy costs.

Attic Insulation

Attic is the most important link in the “chain” known as home insulation. And the more you invest here, the more you will be saving in the long term. Your attic insulation should be around 12-inch thick. If you can spend more and have thicker insulation, it will be even better. Many industry experts will recommend thickness of at least 15 inches. However, there are a few homes where you can find the insulation layer to be as much as 20 inches.

If you are going to install insulation which is just 5 to 10 inches thick, there’s no point in having it. You will continue losing heat/cold air from your living space and waste your energy.

Upgrade your Attic Insulation

This is the most cost-effective and important step you can take in order to reduce your energy bills. A thicker insulative layer is going to cost you more, but at the same time it is going to save you more in the long term. Your heating and cooling system will not have to work as hard to maintain the interior temperatures.

Insulating your Walls

You will also have to consider the amount of insulation that your walls should be provided. Again, the answer is the same – your walls should also have as much insulation as you can fit them with. Ask any expert and they will tell you how important it is to shield your walls against the outdoor temperatures. So the inside of the walls must be filled entirely with insulation materials.

The insulative material must be filled from the ceiling to the floor without leaving any gaps. It should also wrap firmly around the electrical fixtures, wires, pipes and ducts. When it comes to the studs, you can find difficulty in filing around the space.

A more effective way will be to use high R-value materials for exterior insulation. Foam for example, has very high R-value and is recommended for insulating the outside of your walls under the siding.

Types of Wall Insulation

There are 2 main types of wall insulation – solid walls and cavity walls. Solid walls, as the name suggests, don’t have any cavity within them and they are installed in a brick pattern. On the other hand, cavity walls will have an inner and outer layer with a cavity in between them. Thus, there will be two walls which are held together by plastic or metal ties. In this case, the air works as the insulative material. However, new methods involve spray foam, cellulose and fiberglass as the more reliable options.

So, there’s no direct answer to how much insulation you will require for your home. It is always better to have more insulation to shield your interiors from external heat and cold.