Building a new home? Here are 5 things to ask your builder about insulation.
When building a new house, there are so many fun and important things to consider. What type of flooring? What color of paint? Should the bathroom tile be vanilla white or ocean blue? In this article, we are going to be covering something perhaps less fun, but just as (if not more) important: insulation.
(Attention: if you are building a seriously high performance house- think moisture mitigation, updated HVAC, passive-level tight, then- hi! Welcome! We’d like to let you know that this article most likely will not serve you. But watch out! We will be posting an article just for you in the near future.)
Why is Insulation Important?
Insulation is a key component that buildings depend on for comfort, efficiency, and quality of life. Keep in mind that quality of life for your house translates into quality of life for you. A good insulation package will keep your home (and you) cool in the summer, warm in the winter, will lower utility bills, and give your house a longer lifespan than average homes.
What to Ask Your Builder
And finally- here are five things to ask about when you talk to your builder about insulation.
1. Ask your builder about garage insulation
Per energy code, garage insulation is not required. However, many builders install what we consider to be an average insulation package. This includes:
R-11 Exterior Wall Insulation
R-19 Garage Attic Insulation
For those of you new to insulation, R-value is the measure of how well insulation can resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better it insulates.
Consider the three following scenarios, and decide which one sounds like your new garage:
Unheated Garage Space: If you are not heating your garage, then the standard garage insulation package from above will most likely meet your garage insulation needs.
Temp Conditioning: In this case, you might consider an upgrade of at least an R-30 attic, and R-19 wall insulation.
Conditioning Year-Round: In this case, you would want to treat your garage exterior walls in the same manner as house exterior walls. We recommend R-20 2x6 walls and R-49 insulation in the attic.
2. Ask your builder about sound insulation
Sound insulation is the same as thermal insulation, installed with a slightly different end goal: to create a sound barrier instead of a thermal barrier. If you’d like to isolate for or against potential sounds in your new home, then you should ask your builder how they typically insulate for sound. While preparing for this conversation with your builder you might ask yourself the following:
What are the different spaces in my home and how are they sensitive to sound?
Do I need sound barriers in the floors, walls, or both?
What are my specific needs when it comes to sound isolation? Any quiet rooms?
We have a separate blog post about sound insulation that goes into further depth and detail. Check it out!
3. Ask your builder about cold floors and how they mitigate them
Here we would like to point out that insulation on its own does not make a floor warm. Insulation keeps an already warm floor warmer, for longer. We would also like to point out that if the outdoor/ground temperature is colder than the inside ambient temperature, the floor will be colder than the ambient room temperature because air does not heat the floor efficiently. (This assumes that the floor is not getting hit by direct sunlight).
So, what can I do about cold floors?
On the simple and budget-friendly end: insulation + carpet. Carpet makes floors feel warmer.
On the simple and upgraded end: insulation + in-floor heat. And perhaps carpet.
Most floors find themselves over heated spaces. The main floor sits over the basement, the 2nd floor sits over the main. In these situations, the floors tend to maintain a comfortable temperature. Basement floors are tricky. Even with foam board installed beneath the concrete foundation, vinyl flooring will be cold to the touch. Carpet is an easy way to mitigate this.
If your new home has living space or a bonus room that cantilevers over open space such as a garage, a porch, or outside, we highly recommend upgraded insulation- something like a few inches of closed-cell spray foam + a fiberglass fill. If you are specifically looking for full-time heated floors, then the best (and most expensive) upgrade would be radiant in-floor heat. But before you get carried away asking your builder about cold floor mitigation, ask yourself the following:
Do any rooms in my house cantilever over open space? If they do, am I worried about cold floors? (for example, cold floors in a bedroom might be a bother but cold floors in a sunroom might not)
Have cold floors bothered me (or my family members) in the past, or do they bother me now? How important is it for me to avoid them in my new home?
What kind of flooring am I planning on installing in the basement and on other floors? Am I flexible or rigid on this?
4. Ask your builder if their homes qualify for any energy programs
There are a lot of different energy programs that homes can qualify for. Benefits include everything from lower utility bills to tax credits to higher resale value. Some common programs that you might ask your builder about include:
Energy Star homes are held to high standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They have to pass more inspections and meet higher code requirements. The idea is that the higher quality of the home will allow it to last longer while costing less to operate and maintain.
Net Zero Ready Homes are so efficient that they could be self-sustaining with the right type of renewable energy system. These houses need to meet rigorous standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home National Program Requirements. Third-party verification of qualification is required.
Programs and Rebates from local utility companies
Ask your builder about utility company programs in your area. These programs are often plentiful, change all the time, and tend to include insulation scope. Long story short: there is money out there for building energy-efficient homes (especially if you are building a house yourself) and you can find it.
Energy Ratings Group (ERG)
Thermal Shop’s sister company ERG administers a lot of energy programs and certifications for new homes. For help selecting the right program for your new home, contact ERG today.
5. Ask your builder about the best insulation package for your situation
Decisions often need to be made with end-goals in mind. For example, the insulation package of a forever-dream home is probably different from the insulation package of a starter home. If you’re building rental units, the insulation package is most likely different from either of the cases mentioned above! When you talk to your builder, make them aware of the end-goals for your project.
You are in a collaboration with your builder.
Come up with a list of your insulation-related questions, concerns, needs, and bring it to your builder. If for any reason you are hesitant, uncertain, or simply overwhelmed when comparing insulation packages for your new home, Thermal Shop can help. We will gladly stand at the intersection between you and your builder and advocate for your comfort, your home’s efficiency and lifespan, and the overall budget. Energy, efficiency, and insulation are largely misunderstood. Work with professionals who care about your new home being comfortable and efficient at the end of your project (and not just about how the home looks). We cannot wait to hear from you!
Reach out to Thermal Shop today.
